


a merry month of merlin x arthur

by Caledonia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Boyfriends, Canon Era, Domestic Bliss, Fake Dating, Flat mates, Fluff, Husbands, I may have to change the rating later who knows, In a storm, M/M, Modern Era, Roommates, Shenanigans, Some pining, Stranded, Tags to be added as needed, There Is Only One Bed, Utter Nonsense, advent calendar prompts, bookshop au, canon era magic reveal, cross posted from tumblr, each chapter is a fic, friends to boyfriends, they were roommates, works christmas party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 24,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21647185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caledonia/pseuds/Caledonia
Summary: Merlin x Arthur advent prompts. A whole bunch of fluffy merthur mini fics. In most cases, each chapter is a stand-alone ficlet. I hope to have one chapter per day, one chapter per prompt, but I can't guarantee that I won't skip some prompts or combine them.See notes for links to the prompts I'm using.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 193
Kudos: 319





	1. Day 1 - Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [drawlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drawlight) for letting me use her beautiful calendar, and to [weatheredlaw](https://weatheredlaw.tumblr.com/) for the corresponding prompts. This started out as Ineffable Husbands advent prompts, but I borrowed them with permission because I thought it would be fun to do for Merlin & Arthur. I will 100% not do them all, just FYI. xx Cally
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the characters and I am not making any money from these stories. They deserve so much more than they got is all.

"What's that?" Merlin asked, looking at the plant in the doorway and thinking only that a doorway was a strange place to dry herbs.

"Mistletoe," Gwen replied, giggling. Giggling? Why would a bunch of herbs make someone giggle?

"What is mistletoe?"

"Oh, um..." Gwen said, still giggling, but trying to sober up and give him an answer, "it's a yule tide tradition in Camelot. If you're caught underneath a sprig of mistletoe with someone, you're meant to kiss them."

Merlin stared up at the sprig, his mind exploding with possibilities. He and Arthur walked through doorways together all the time. It would be perfect. He could get the kiss he'd been pining for since he'd met Arthur, and it didn't need to mean anything.

Kissing under mistletoe - what an absolutely brilliant tradition.

"Where can I find some?"

A few days later, and Merlin's work was done. There wasn't a single doorway or arch in the entire castle that wasn't hung with mistletoe. It was everywhere! He and Arthur had to get caught beneath it at some point.

Or so he thought.

People all over Camelot were kissing and laughing beneath mistletoe. Knights, squires, servants, maids, everyone. Merlin himself had been kissed plenty, and he had even seen Gaius giving Morgana a fatherly peck on the cheek. But had Arthur kissed Merlin? No. No! Arthur seemed determined to walk six paces ahead of Merlin at all times, with Merlin scrambling to catch up. Merlin seemed to be pink-faced and slightly out of breath all the time, and not for any good reason.

Eventually Merlin gave up and took every single sprig down, throwing them into a pile behind the stables. To his embarrassment, Arthur arrived while Merlin was kicking the pile of mistletoe in a huff, disappointed that his plan hadn't worked.

"You act as though the plant has done you some wrong, Merlin," Arthur said, laughing as he walked away.

Merlin, staring after him, thought if only you knew.

A few days passed with Merlin unable to drag himself out of his disappointed funk, and still unable to rid his mind of fantasies of him and Arthur kissing beneath mistletoe. People were starting to notice, and one evening after training Percy, who always meant well even if he was too perceptive for his own good, joked, "Merlin wants the mistletoe back, Sire, I don't think he kissed who he wanted to kiss."

Merlin tried to laugh along with all the others. He knew he'd snap out of it eventually, just like all the times before. Arthur was untouchable, and the sooner he realised that, the happier he'd be.

That night, though, just as he was preparing to undress Arthur for bed, Arthur came through with his hands behind his back. He looked sheepish, which was extremely unlike Arthur, and Merlin's stomach dropped. What was wrong with him? Was this some new sorcery?

"I was thinking about what Percy said, and I decided he was right. You have been in a terrible mood since the mistletoe disappeared. So, here."

Arthur held out a pathetic, crushed sprig of mistletoe that looked rather like it had been liberated from the pile behind the stables. Merlin could do nothing but look between the plant and Arthur over and over.

"I thought if you got the kiss you're after, you'd go back to being not quite as terrible at your job," Arthur said, and he was blushing. Arthur, blushing?

"Not quite as terrible?"

"Well, yes, you're a terrible servant, always have been, but lately you've been even worse. So," Arthur thrust the plant at Merlin, "go get your kiss."

Merlin had no choice but to take the mistletoe. Arthur was looking at the floor, and he was definitely blushing.

Merlin had a brief and silent war with himself before he reached up with a shaking hand and held the mistletoe above their heads.

"Good news is," Merlin whispered, "I don't have to go far."

Arthur looked up at the mistletoe and then back at Merlin, his eyes moving from Merlin's eyes to his lips, where they stayed.

"You realise I had to dig through a freezing, filthy pile of discarded greenery to get that."

"I'm sorry, my lord," Merlin said, leaning forward, "I shall try to make it worth your while."


	2. Day 2 - Snow

The flakes danced down from the sky in swirling, drifting motions that Merlin found utterly mesmerising. With the heavy cloud, the sun light was hazy and soft, dulling the sharp edges of the world. It was a beautiful view from Arthur's window over the town and the countryside beyond, and the only people out of doors were children who were thoroughly enjoying the forced leisure of being effectively snowed in. Smoke billowed from chimneys, and lights glimmered behind frosted windows, and Merlin watched the snow fall.

There was something magical about the first snow of the season, and each flake felt like a gift, somehow. Merlin's heart was full, and he felt almost giddy with joy. However much he loved the summer, he loved the winter more. The sun setting in mid afternoon and making it almost a requirement to retire early. The long, slow nights. The crisp air, the roaring fires, and the sound and smell of burning wood.

Merlin pulled the heavy scarlet fabric tighter over his bare shoulders, the air in the room cold although a fire was burning. Behind him he could hear Arthur stirring, and his heart fluttered, a smile spreading lazily over his features.

"Is it still snowing?" Arthur asked, sleepily.

"It hasn't stopped all night," Merlin said, still looking out the window. He didn't look back when he heard Arthur rise from bed, didn't peek when he heard him walking closer, his bare feet loud on the stone floor, he didn't even turn his head when Arthur stepped behind him, arms wrapping down over Merlin's chest, face burrowing into Merlin's neck.

"You're not coming back to bed, are you?" Arthur whispered, breath hot against Merlin's face.

"It's snowing," Merlin smiled as an answer.

"Make room, then," Arthur said, and Merlin opened his arms, the scarlet cloak stretching like the wings of a dragon, and Arthur let himself be enveloped by the fabric, and by Merlin.

They sat together, warm against the cold morning, and watched the snow fall, and fall, and fall.


	3. Day 3 - Nutcracker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strain of music triggers a memory that makes Arthur sad, and he and Merlin remember together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean to go all melancholy with this one, but there you are. My apologies. xx Cally

The music played, soft and sweet, and it unfurled memories from deep within, clenching Arthur's heart painfully. Beside him on the bed with his long, pale limbs tangled in the sheets and his black hair gone supernova, Merlin hummed along to the music with his eyes closed, a half smile on his lips, his hand idly trailing over Arthur's arm.

They were listening to Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, and the music wove a story around them in the dim room. Snow was falling heavily outside the window, December well underway, and the only lights in the room were the strands of bulbs wound around the fir tree. Arthur watched as Merlin danced his fingers over Arthur's skin, graceful and beautiful, and his heart shuddered, heavy in his chest.

"Do you remember St. Petersburg?" Arthur asked, the words like lead pulling him down, down. Merlin's fingers skittered and came to a halt, then began again as the music swelled.

"1890," Merlin said, still with his eyes closed. Arthur captured Merlin's hand and held it against his lips, kissing the pads of Merlin's fingers gently as Merlin tapped out the rhythm of the song against Arthur's soul.

Arthur could see it all so clearly. The majesty of the Imperial Theatre, the rich colours of the assembly, the snow so deep and cold. And Merlin, dancing the ballet. 

"I didn't get to have you that time," Merlin said, and though his lips were still smiling there was a shadow in his voice. Arthur clutched the hand at his lips and turned on his side, his legs tangling with Merlin's.

"I was thirty-four when we met, and already married. I had looked for you and looked for you, but you weren't there and I was so alone," Arthur said, trying to justify a century-old wrong. Merlin pulled Arthur close, wrapping protectively around him, and Arthur's heart ached with remembered sorrow.

"That was Sleeping Beauty. I had quit the ballet before Tchaikovsky finished The Nutcracker."

"You followed me back to England," Arthur said, smiling, remembering.

"You took me away from St. Petersburg," Merlin said, his hands in Arthur's hair, petting him gently, still in time to the music.

"It took you months to learn English. We could barely manage a conversation half the time."

"You set up a studio for me, helped me find pupils. I taught ballet. Your wife wanted to learn, but she was hopeless."

Arthur laughed a surprised laugh, remembering how badly she had wanted to learn to dance.  _ "I want you to look at me the way you look at him," _ she had said, knowing but not knowing. Thinking Arthur was in love with the dancing.

"You died," Arthur said suddenly, and he held Merlin closer. 

"I'm here now, Arthur," Merlin said, finally opening his eyes, "look at me."

Arthur looked. There were the same blue eyes, deep with all the years he had lived, all the losses he had suffered, but still warm, warm with love. Those wonderful eyes that Arthur had first seen hundreds of years ago, when he had been a prince and Merlin had been his  _ everything _ .

"Arthur, we've had so many years of love."

"I know," Arthur said, his voice catching. Merlin kissed him, soft and gentle.

"We have so many more ahead of us. We're only twenty-four, we could have eighty more years together this time."

"I know," Arthur said, feeling his heart lighten slightly, "I just miss you."

Arthur meant that all the years he had ever been without Merlin were present and their loneliness and solitude were heavy on him. And Merlin knew that was what Arthur meant, because Merlin felt it too, sometimes. The decades of being alone, of waiting.

The memory of the first time Arthur had died in Merlin's arms, when neither of them knew that they would see the other again. 

The music played on, almost visible in the air around them, nearly tangible with memory. They kissed slowly, murmuring promises. They held each other, their skin whispering apologies. They made love, their sighs driving away the shadows of the past until it was just the two of them together again.

As it always was.

And as it always would be.


	4. Day 4 - Cranberry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mix-up with the secret Santa gifts leads to a life-changing moment for Arthur and Merlin.

It wasn't often that someone could say, truthfully, that a shade of lipstick changed their life, but in Arthur's case, that was exactly what happened.

It started at an office Christmas party in early December, and with a secret Santa gift wrapped in the wrong colour paper. --

"Remember, the green parcels are for the men, and the red parcels are for the ladies!" someone trilled, "We are not being sexist you understand, we are simply aiming to avoid disappointment. The purple ones are gender-neutral - so only pick one of those if you’re willing to take the risk!”

Arthur caught the gift Percy threw his way and started to unwrap. The secret Santa Christmas gifts were always very good quality, even if they were generic. Everyone was given a gender to shop for, and the limit was £20. 

All around the office people were unwrapping with vigour. Arthur's eyes lingered on Merlin regardless of how often Arthur shouted at himself to STOP STARING. Merlin was painfully good looking in a unique way. He was tall and thin, with a scramble of silky dark hair and ears that were _just slightly_ too big. His eyes were the clear blue of a cloudless winter sky, his cheekbones sharp enough to wound if you got close enough, and his mouth. Oh, his mouth. There was not a word waiting there… They were the prettiest lips Arthur had ever seen on a man, and Arthur had been silently smitten since day one, though he was still working up the courage to do something about it.

"Nice!" Percy said, holding up the engraved hip flask which had been in his parcel. 

Arthur was distracted from looking at his own gift by Merlin, who had started laughing. Merlin's cheeks were slightly pink, his beautiful mouth spread in a glorious smile, and his blue eyes were dancing with mirth.

"Oh, no! Someone's made a mistake!" Gwen said sympathetically, shaking her head at Merlin, who was holding up a fancy pink bag and showing off the makeup he'd received.

"It's fine, honestly," he said, still laughing.

"Actually," Gwaine said, taking something from the pink bag with a wicked smile on his face, "I think this colour will suit you."

As Arthur watched, his heart beating a staccato in his chest, Gwaine held Merlin's chin steady and rolled the lipstick carefully over Merlin's lips.

“Cranberry,” Merlin read off the lipstick, pursing his painted lips together, “What do we think?”

“Oi, Arthur! I think we’re going to have to start calling someone else Princess now,” Gwaine said, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

Gwen was now attacking Merlin with a tissue, but the lipstick wouldn’t budge. "Oh, Merlin, I'm so sorry, but it's the kind that doesn't come off! Does anyone have makeup remover?"

"It's fine, honestly Gwen, I don't mind. It's fine.”

In the periphery of his vision, Arthur saw someone coming towards Merlin with a tie that had accidentally gone to one of the ladies, intent on doing a swap. 

Arthur forgot to breathe. He knew the people around him were laughing and jostling, teasing Merlin in a warm-hearted way about the mix up in the gifts. Arthur knew he was staring properly now with no chance to explain it away as usual, but he couldn't help it. True to the colour of the berry for which it was named, the lipstick was bright red and it covered Merlin’s lips, thick and glossy, reflecting the bright Christmas lights all around the office. While Arthur stared and stared, Merlin’s tongue poked out briefly, and then he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth.

The next few seconds were a blur to Arthur as he reduced the distance between them as quickly as possible. He pushed people out of the way, dropping his gift onto the floor partially opened. He manoeuvred around chairs and, in the end, he vaulted over a desk, his backside sliding across the surface and scattering papers to the floor, but he landed on both feet, inches away from Merlin.

Arthur didn’t think. He didn’t care that every single person they worked with was there, watching them. He took a step forward, one of his hands on Merlin’s hip and the other at the back of his head, and he kissed Merlin, open-mouthed and needy. 

Catcalls and cheers erupted around them and, to Arthur’s neverending relief, Merlin started to kiss him back. After what felt like a million years they broke apart. Arthur’s eyes lingering on Merlin’s unsmudged cranberry red lips.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have," Arthur started.

"I'm glad you did," Merlin smiled, reaching down to take Arthur's hands.

"I told you the shade suited you, Princess,” Gwaine laughed.

“Does this mean I have to keep the tie?” someone shouted.

Merlin looked at Arthur, his eyes sparkling brighter than the lights on the tree, and he took his bottom lip between his teeth again.

“You can have the makeup,” Merlin said, not looking away from Arthur, “but I’m keeping the lipstick.”


	5. Day 5 - Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin has to choose between lighting a fire with magic in front of Arthur or freezing to death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I struggled so much with this prompt. There are a million ways to go with Fire, I know, but every draft I made went much deeper and darker than I wanted to, and the fluffy ones just felt wrong and forced. So you get pre-slash magic reveal instead. Sorry!

It was simple, really. Either Merlin lit the fire by magic, or he and Arthur were going to freeze to death. The storm was not relenting, and they had gone sleepy with the ferocity of the cold. The only problem with that, of course, was that if he used magic to light a fire, Arthur might try to kill him.

Still. At least one of them would survive. That was something, right?

Merlin glanced at Arthur, glad to see that his eyes were closed. Maybe if he waited for Arthur to go to sleep and then pretended that he’d managed to light the fire in a normal way? Arthur had believed some terrible lies before, maybe this would…

But, no. Merlin did not want to wait for Arthur to fall asleep, because they were both so cold that if they did sleep, there would be no guarantee of waking up again. So Merlin stopped waiting. He stopped pretending to himself that there was another way out of this. And then he lit a fire. 

It was simple, in the end. Arthur’s eyes were on him the entire time. He held his hand out and whispered the words that would call forth flame, and the previously frozen wood blossomed with fire. Within minutes the small cave was beginning to warm.

Merlin could still feel Arthur’s eyes on him.

“Took you long enough,” Arthur said, exhaling sharply in the way that meant he was not at all amused.

“What?”

“Do you realise that there are parts of me that might never thaw?”

If Merlin’s blood supply hadn’t been so busy sustaining his vital organs, he was pretty sure he would have blushed. What did Arthur mean? Did Arthur know? 

“You must think I’m an idiot, Merlin,” Arthur said, and he sounded wounded now like Merlin had hurt his feelings, “I know you have magic. I’ve known since the day after we met. I’ve never tripped over a rope in my life, and yet I manage to do just that when I’m chasing you down? Of course I know.”

“Why haven’t you?”

“Had you executed?” Arthur looked into the fire, which was burning warmly enough that Merlin’s fingers and toes were sore with thaw. “I seem to remember you calling me a royal ass, but I also remember you being brave, and standing up to me even though the odds were so badly in my favour. I told you there was something about you I couldn’t put my finger on, and I still haven’t figured out exactly what that is.”

“Meaning that if you ever do find out, I’m a goner?”

“Meaning that you’re still just as brave, that you still stand up for what you think is right, and that you’re still as much of an idiot as always.”

Merlin nodded, not sure what to say. His face felt hot, and he didn’t think it was all from the fire. 

“I just wish you hadn’t waited so bloody long to light that fire,” Arthur said, moving uncomfortably under his cloak and stretching sore limbs, “I thought we were going to freeze to death.”

They were quiet for a time, the only sound in the cave the click and pop of burning wood. Merlin tried to consider what Arthur’s knowing about his magic meant, but he was too exhausted to properly comprehend the full repercussions. Though he did know that he owed Arthur an apology.

“It was never my intention to be dishonest. If I hadn’t been…”

“Afraid for your life?” 

“Yes.”

“There is no need to apologise, Merlin, I would have done the same. My father is blinded by hatred, and he would not spare you.”

“So you’re not going to…”

Arthur looked at Merlin then, his eyes sincere and sombre, and Merlin’s heart seemed to stop. “No, I am not going to tell my father,” Arthur said.

Merlin smiled at Arthur, feeling a strange lightness consume him. It was much better this way, now that Arthur knew. Merlin had hated the lie.

“Besides, it would be very difficult for me to find another servant who is quite as useless as you,” Arthur said, and he met Merlin’s eyes again. Arthur’s strong face was strange in the firelight, as though he was trying to say something with his expression that he could not yet voice, and Merlin swallowed, his eyes roaming Arthur’s face.

“My startling ineptitude saves me yet again,” Merlin said, just to break the tension.

“Yes, well, it probably won’t be the last time,” Arthur replied, and Merlin could feel Arthur's eyes on him as he turned to watch the fire.


	6. Day 6 - Sleigh Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin owns a bookshop, and Arthur is a very rude customer who just doesn't seem to know when to call it quits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bookshop au! I couldn't help myself. xx Cally

The sleigh bells rang on the door again, signalling yet another customer. Merlin looked up from where he was wrapping what must have been the hundredth book of the day and his Customer Winning Smile died on his lips.

It was him. The complete arsehole from that morning who had not only taken up twenty minutes of Merlin’s valuable time just before Christmas, but who had demanded to see the manager and had laughed in Merlin’s face when Merlin explained that he, Merlin, was the owner of the shop and if he had a problem with that he could bloody well buy his books elsewhere.

“Was I not clear this morning,” Merlin began, putting his hand on his hip, “when I told you to leave and to not come back?”

The man glared at him, and Merlin was supremely glad he was so rude and arrogant because otherwise, Merlin would probably have been crushing hard. It was unfair that someone so ridiculously good looking was such an entitled, bullying twat.

“Now, look here,” the man began, and a small, pretty woman with dark skin and perfect curls stepped out from behind him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, her warm smile chipping away at Merlin’s icy glare, “my friend Arthur here has come to apologise for his behaviour.”

“I don’t want an apology.”

“See, Gwen? I told you this was a waste of time.”

“Arthur I swear to god if you don’t shut your mouth I will sellotape it shut for you now be quiet while I try to fix this,” Gwen said, very fast, before turning another lovely smile towards Merlin.

“Please, um…”

“Merlin.”

“Please, Merlin, please just hear me out. Arthur here needs a very specific book for someone for Christmas, and according to the internet you’re the only person in London who has a copy on the shelves, so please, please, please will you let him apologise?”

Despite his best attempts, Merlin was curious to know what book it was, but he was enjoying the uncomfortable look on Arthur’s face too much to make it easy. Besides, the man really was an arsehole.

“I know how horrible he can be, but he’s not so bad once you get to know him,” Gwen said, as though she was trying to talk Merlin into dating her friend rather than just selling him a book. Merlin finished the book he was wrapping, but he kept a hold of the scissors, just in case.

“What book are you looking for?”

“Oh, thank you!” Gwen said, her face practically exploding with excitement, “OK, Arthur, you’re up, and please, please try not to be an ass.”

\--

The next day the bells rang with only minutes to go before closing time and Merlin almost shouted for them to leave because he was just too tired to deal with anyone. Then he smelled a familiar cologne and he almost shouted for them to leave because he was just too tired to deal with that particular someone. 

“Hello again,” Merlin said, which surprised him because he’d been meaning to say you again?

“Hello.”

Arthur stood awkwardly clutching a gift bag and shifting from foot to foot and damn it if Merlin wasn’t a teensy tiny bit glad to see him. He was very handsome, after all.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

“No.”

“Right,” Merlin said, his eyes narrowed. 

“I brought you this as an apology,” Arthur said, thrusting the gift bag towards Merlin, “I know I was an arsehole. Christmas is a very difficult time for me and I’m sorry because I think I might have taken it out on you which isn’t fair. So here.”

Merlin reached tentatively out and took the gift bag off Arthur.

“Thank you?”

“Good luck with the rest of the season,” Arthur said, and Merlin heard the sleigh bells chime again as the door shut behind him.

Merlin checked the time and went to lock the door, thankful that it was past closing time. Once he had turned off most of the operational lights, Merlin sat behind the desk and opened the gift bag.

Inside was a heavy, engraved metal keyring in the shape of a dragon. Merlin looked curiously at it, noticing that the dragon was oddly familiar. Looking back into the bag he found a business card which read. Happy Christmas from Pendragon Publishing, Arthur Pendragon CEO.

Well, wasn’t that just completely ridiculous? No wonder the dragon had been familiar. Merlin could point out a hundred books on his shelves which had been published by the Pendragon Corporation.

Uttering a small laugh, Merlin put the dragon on his keys and started to close the shop.

\--

Because Merlin valued his sanity he decided to close early on Christmas Eve. He was sold out of everything that anyone shopping last minute would buy, anyway, and if he wanted to survive Christmas, he needed to actually purchase some presents, too.

He was walking towards the door to lock it when he heard the sleigh bells chime. For an instant, he hoped it was Arthur before he remembered that Arthur was just pretty and not nice. Luckily, it wasn’t Arthur, it was Gwen.

“Hi! Sorry, I know you’re probably busy and stuff, but I think Arthur gave you the wrong present the other day. I work with him and he’s dreadfully absentminded when he’s stressed out, and the holidays are, well, anyway, I think he gave you the generic corporate Christmas gift, and he was supposed t give you this.”

Gwen handed over a small gift bag that was identical to the one Arthur had given him a few days before. When Merlin took it he realised that it was quite a bit heavier. It was a book. Merlin laughed, then he opened the cover because as a bookseller he had learned long ago that the true value of a book was within.

“It’s the first copy of the first book he ever published. He wanted you to have it.”

There was a business card tucked between the pages, and Merlin noticed Arthur’s mobile number written in pen.

“I know you two got off on the wrong foot, what with him being a total bastard and all, but he’s got a heart of gold, really, and I think you’d get along if he stopped being horrible long enough for you to notice.”

“I will take that under advisement,” Merlin said, smiling softly, “Besides, you’re lovely, and if he’s got your friendship then that must mean something, right?”

“Yes! Oh, yes. OK. Great. Well, Happy Christmas!”

Merlin wished Gwen a happy Christmas in return, locking the door behind her as she left. The sound of the sleigh bells was still ringing gently when Merlin dialled Arthur’s number.

“Hello? It’s Merlin, from the bookshop. I have it on good authority that you’re not actually a total and utter clotpole, and I thought you might as well try and change my mind. Dinner? Well, yes, I suppose I am free tonight.”


	7. Day 7 - Silent Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A silent night in the aftermath of hosting family Christmas.

Arthur sighed heavily, his forehead against the front door. Behind him the Christmas music was mercifully switched off and a welcome hush descended. 

"Never again," Arthur mumbled, making sure the door was locked. 

"You say that every year, my love," Merlin smiled, coming behind Arthur and massaging his neck, fingers lost in Arthur's hair. 

"Why do they have to have so many children?"

"There are only two children, Arthur."

"Are you sure? It feels like more," Arthur grumbled, letting Merlin lead him towards the living room and the comfortable sofa. 

"You give them too much sugar, dear, it isn't their fault."

"They should have sweets at Christmas." 

Merlin settled himself beside Arthur, tucking into the hollow under his arm, and Arthur pulled him close. They surveyed the room, Arthur's eyes alighting on the piles of discarded wrapping paper and the carefully chosen and placed decorations now in disarray. At least the dinner dishes would be washed and put away, Gwen and Morgana would have seen to that while Leon and Lance had tried to figure out how the remote control cars worked. 

Arthur sighed again and leaned his head against Merlin's. The lights on the tree twinkled warmly, but the only sound Arthur could hear was the slow, steady breathing of his husband. 

"Next year, Morgana can host Christmas day," Arthur said. Merlin threaded their fingers together and brought them to his mouth, kissing Arthur's knuckles gently. Neither of them believed Arthur, but Merlin always let Arthur pretend. Arthur and Merlin had been hosting Christmas for twenty years, and they weren't about to stop now.

He and Merlin sat together and enjoyed the silence, both of them glad to get back to just the two of them after the chaos of the day. 

"Take me to bed, Arthur," Merlin said, eventually, standing up and holding his arms wide for Arthur, who gratefully stepped into them. They kissed, slow and soft, before Merlin took Arthur's hand again and led him around the messy living room and towards their room. There was the click of the bedroom door closing, and then the night was silent once more.


	8. Day 8 - Choir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is nervous about singing in the choir, but Merlin is in the audience, cheering him on.

“Hurry up, Gwen, we can’t be late!”

“We are not going to be late, stop pushing me, Merlin!”

“I want to get a good seat!”

“I don’t think there are seats, Merls, it’s a charity concert in a shopping centre. I think you just gather ‘round.”

“Well, I want to get a good gathering, then. Can we hurry?”

Merlin rushed them through the entrance to M&S and pushed people aside in his haste to get by. Gwen and Morgana walked a few paces behind him, politely apologising to anyone that had been pushed or trodden on by their manic friend. When they got out to the other side of M&S, the choir was just beginning to assemble. Merlin sought out Arthur and their eyes met. Arthur’s face relaxed immediately, his nerves calmed by Merlin’s presence.

Merlin had been helping Arthur to practice the songs for weeks, their flat a cacophony of Arthur’s beautiful voice interweaving with Merlin’s dreadful piano playing. It was Arthur’s first time in a choir since school, when his father had insisted that football was the worthier pastime, and Arthur was understandably nervous. The choir believed in him, though, and the director had even given him a small solo.

Merlin stood with Gwen and Morgana, his eyes on Arthur as the choir settled, the collectors with their pots milling around to entice the crowd into giving them their money. 

The music began, and Merlin found himself mouthing along to the words, his heart in his throat. Arthur‘s voice was the only one that Merlin heard, even though there were around a hundred other people singing in the choir. Beside him, Morgana and Gwen were each clutching one of his arms, bouncing excitedly, but Merlin barely noticed. His eyes were on Arthur, watching the light in his blue eyes as he sang, the glimmer of his golden hair in the bright lights, the curl of a smile on his lips. When the solo came, Arthur shone, his voice carrying in the wide open space, achingly beautiful, and Merlin nearly cried with joy.

The performance lasted thirty minutes, and they had gathered a wide and varied crowd; adults glad for a break from their shopping, and kids dancing down at the front, teens singing the rude words to jingle bells. When the music ended and the choir broke up, Merlin burst free from Morgana and Gwen’s grasp and threw himself at Arthur.

“You did BRILLIANTLY! I am so proud of you!” Merlin said, kissing Arthur’s cheek and squeezing him in a hug. Arthur laughed a relieved laugh of someone who had been nervous for too long, and he kissed Merlin back. 

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Arthur said, holding on to Merlin as though he might slip away. Merlin blushed, but Arthur held him and looked into his eyes, “I’m serious, Merlin. I wouldn’t be half of who I am without you.”

“You two aren’t being sappy again, are you?” Morgana asked, coming up to hug her brother.

“Would you honestly expect anything else?” Gwen added, shaking her head at them all. 

Merlin ignored them both and kissed Arthur again as the choir began packing up around them.


	9. Day 9 - Chestnuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur gives Merlin a small gift which, for him, at least, represents something larger.

As Arthur and Merlin walked back from the feast to Arthur's chambers Arthur stayed a step ahead, feeling anxious. Merlin, whom Arthur had seen sampling the spiced wine on more than one occasion throughout the evening, was humming softly, seemingly content.

Arthur strode to the fire when he entered his chambers, leaving Merlin to close the doors against the cold air. Merlin lit the candles then came to attend to Arthur's clothes. 

"Oh, before you start I, um, I brought you something from the feast," Arthur spoke swiftly, his face burning and his hands outstretched. 

Merlin took the cloth parcel and slowly unwrapped it. When he saw the contents his eyes jumped to Arthur's face, wide with joy. 

"Arthur, these are…"

"Cook's best candied chestnuts, I know. I saved you some since I know how much you like them."

Merlin's pale skin blushed and Arthur's heart clanged in his chest like a tower bell. He knew he could do nothing about his feelings for Merlin, at least not until he became king, but they were far too powerful to be ignored. So Arthur did what he could to alert Merlin to his true feelings. Small gifts like these chestnuts were the best that Arthur could do, for now, and he hoped Merlin understood them for the confession they were. 

_ One day you will have all of this and more, please give me the time I need to make it right.  _

"Thank you, Arthur," Merlin said, his voice low and sincere. It sounded like he was trying to say something else, something bigger. 

"You're welcome, Merlin," Arthur said, whispering, hoping it sounded like  _ I love you _ . 

Merlin offered the candid chestnuts to Arthur, and he took one. Smiling, they both took a bite at the same time. The sweetness burst in Arthur's mouth, the underlying hint of warm spices. Cook's candied chestnuts really were the best part of the midwinter feast.

They may only have been candied chestnuts but for Arthur they stood for so much more. And by the gentle smile on Merlin's face, and the red flush to his ears and cheeks, it seemed as though Merlin understood exactly what Arthur was trying to say.

Arthur sighed, momentarily content, and took another bite of his chestnut. 


	10. Day 10 - Gold & Silver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there may or may not be a feathered ceremonial cap.

"You need to hold still,  _ Mer _ lin," Arthur grumbled, manhandling his servant to keep him steady.

"Why do you need to measure my head, again?"

"We're fitting you for a new ceremonial cap," Arthur said, and he managed to keep a straight face. The clothier made his measurements and noted them down, handing them to Arthur before politely taking his leave.

"It's not going to have  _ feathers _ , is it?"

\--

The silversmith had taken weeks and  _ weeks _ , but his work was finally finished, and good enough quality that, in the end, Arthur paid nearly twice what he had agreed. Gwen had taught Arthur to appreciate his tradesmen.

Arthur held the item, watching the light gleam off its polished silver surface, rubies glinting, and his heart swelled until it seemed to fill his entire body. He hoped, gods how he hoped, that all of his effort would not be in vain. He hoped that Merlin would accept his gift, extravagant though it was.

He placed the item carefully back inside its bag, and then he hid it deep at the bottom of a rarely opened chest. As terrible as a housekeeper as Merlin was, there was little chance that he would find it.

\--

The rest of Arthur's preparations took surprisingly little time, though keeping his intentions secret proved difficult. He timed his gift giving for mid winter's day, hoping that his special requests would be taken as part of the festivities. 

By noon the day of the feast, Arthur surveyed his chambers and deemed everything ready. Now he just needed to find his servant. 

\--

"I wanted you to try on your ceremonial clothes before the feast, I have had them delivered to my chambers, and the clothier is on hand should you need anything adjusted."

Merlin narrowed his eyes at Arthur, who said, "I have made some changes, now that I am king, and I wish you to wear this new outfit to all official banquets and events."

"There better not be feathers," Merlin grumbled, but he followed Arthur to his chambers.

When he opened the door and saw the lit candles, and the greenery and decorations he froze for a minute, a frown flitting across his features as swift as a bird. Arthur's heart beat painfully.

"Are you planning to entertain in private this evening?" 

"If all goes well, perhaps."

"I wasn't aware we were expecting any guests of high importance."

"Not a guest, as such."

Merlin looked at Arthur as though he wanted to ask more questions, but he stopped speaking as though the possible answers frightened him. Arthur locked the doors and walked to the table, feeling nearly sick with nerves, and he picked up the wrapped parcel, holding it out to Merlin.

"I've had this made for you, Merlin, and I wonder whether you would consider wearing it." 

"Hmm, it doesn't look like it has feathers."

"Just take it," Arthur said, handing Merlin the parcel. 

Merlin began to unfold the cloth, his face a labyrinth of emotions that Arthur couldn't read, and when the item sat, uncovered in his hands, he looked up at Arthur, trembling.

"I don't understand, Arthur, this... This is a crown."

Arthur walked to Merlin and lifted the silver crown, his hands shaking, and placed it gently on Merlin's head. It fit perfectly. 

"I promised you things would change when I became king. I wonder whether you would consider wearing this, Merlin, as my betrothed."

Merlin looked at Arthur, his eyes lingering on Arthur's rather larger, golden crown, which Arthur was wearing in advance of the mid winter celebrations. 

"I would be honoured," Merlin reached up and took the crown off, holding it close to his face to see the detail. It was inscribed with intricate knots and patterns that, when glimpsed as a whole, looked like ruby eyed dragons. It was a slimmer, silver twin to Arthur's own crown.

"There are a hundred others who would be your queen," Merlin said, his eyes downcast. Arthur put a finger beneath Merlin's chin and lifted his face until their eyes met. 

"I don't want a queen, Merlin, I want a Sourcerer."

\--

That night at the feast the hall was filled with music and laughter. Arthur and Merlin stood side by side, and the warm fire light danced on the surfaces of both crowns; one gleaming gold, and the other shimmering silver. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 Maybe they're the same Arthur and Merlin as day 9. Who knows. <3


	11. Day 11 - Pine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur accidentally buys a massive Christmas tree and ends up with more than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late. Life, eh?

The tree was huge. Enormous. Much, much larger than the space it was meant to fit. It hadn't looked that large at the shop. It hadn't seemed that large outside the flat, either.

Arthur stared, unsure of what to do. Unfortunately, before he could make up his mind, his flatmate arrived home from work.

"Feeling a bit festive?" Merlin asked, with his cheeky smile that made Arthur feel weak. He tried to squeeze into the flat beside the tree, shimmying against the wall.

"It was not meant to be quite so large," Arthur admitted.

"I should hope not! Where is it meant to go?" Merlin laughed, but it was a kind laugh with no malice, and, despite himself, Arthur could feel his face burning. Merlin was still struggling to get past the lower branches.

"I suppose we can move the sofa for the time being," Arthur said, uncertainly.

"Move it where, next door? Arthur, this tree must be five feet across!"

"Actually, I think it's more like six," Arthur said, not helping himself at all. Merlin finally managed to extricate himself from the tree's clutches and they stood looking at the tree, Arthur biting his lip nervously and Merlin brushing pine needles off his trousers.

"It is a beautiful tree, though," Merlin admitted, clapping Arthur on the shoulder. Arthur, as usual, felt a swooping sensation in his stomach at the contact. "I'll help you move the furniture, come on.

"We're keeping it?" Arthur asked, shocked.

"Of course we are! First, it really is a beautiful tree. Second, it must have cost a fortune. Third, can you imagine the look on Gwaine’s face when he sees this tree? He'll be taking the one from Trafalgar Square trying to one-up you. It'll be brilliant."

Arthur followed Merlin into the lounge, smiling. They would be keeping the tree, and suddenly, Arthur was a lot more enthusiastic about it.

Although they struggled to get the tree into position, the first real problem came when they tried to string the lights on the tree. No matter how they moved them, the lights refused to cover the whole tree.

"I think we need more lights," Arthur said, chewing his bottom lip uncertainly. He turned to Merlin, who was smiling at him in a distracted sort of way. His face was thrown into shadow, his cheekbones more than usually prominent, and Arthur's breath caught in his throat. It was unfair that Merlin was so good looking. 

"Just a few, you think?" Merlin asked, eyes sparkling, "I think we may need more decorations, as well."

They both turned their attention to the bottom, unlit third of the tree, then looked back at each other. Merlin waited a few seconds before he laughed, his whole body shaking. 

Gods, but Arthur loved him. He'd loved Merlin since the day they met, but they were friends, and Arthur was terrified of losing that, so he never made a move. 

But there was something about the absurdity of the evening, of them trying valiantly to fit a six foot wide tree into a ten foot wide room and still leave space for the television and a sofa. There was something about the hush in the room, the Christmas songs playlist having stopped moments before. There was something about the kindness in Merlin's smile, in the warmth of his eyes. There was something about the smell of the fresh pine tree, and something about the dancing lights that made Arthur feel brave. 

"Pint first? Lights after?" 

"Yes, but I'm buying," Arthur said, as they fought their way past the bottom branches of the tree. 

"Oh, rare generosity," Merlin laughed, grabbing his coat. "Thanking me for my help? Or trying to get me drunk enough to forget how badly you've messed up with that ridiculous tree?"

Arthur swallowed around his nerves, his mouth dry. "What if there's a third option?"

Merlin looked at him, adjusting the collar on his coat. "Third option? Loosening me up before you admit that you accidentally bought another twenty foot tree?"

Arthur tried to laugh but he couldn't quite manage it, and the smile started to slip from Merlin's face. 

"What if… Could I buy you a pint as a...as a date?"

Merlin didn't answer right away, and Arthur's heart pounded painfully. Then the smile reappeared so quickly it was blinding. 

"A date? With the owner of the largest cut pine tree in London? Lucky me."

Merlin winked, then bounded through their door. Arthur looked down at the floor for a few moments, waiting for feeling to return to his extremities, his eyes trained on some discarded pine needles on the floor.

"Come on, Arthur, we don't want to be late for our date."

Arthur smiled and, looking at the enormous pine tree that filled their entire lounge, locked the flat door behind him.


	12. Day 12 - Caroling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur invites the carolers to his house for pre caroling drinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was tough because caroling and choir are very similar, and my brain was sluggish in coming up with an idea. I hope you like what I made, anyway.

"No, the old guy died, it's his son Arthur who's Lord of the Manor now."

"Arthur the hot one?"

"Yes! And he's still hosting the carollers!"

Merlin's stomach dropped uncomfortably. He'd been amusing Gwen by coming to her carolling group with her. It had been a laugh, and it turned out that Merlin wasn't a terrible singer, but going to The Manor House was something different.

Of course he knew who Arthur was, his was the largest house for miles, and he'd even seen Arthur around the village on more than one occasion, but going to his  _ house _ . Merlin wasn't sure that was a good idea.

On the night, Merlin dressed warmly, and he'd even bought an overly large Christmas jumper to wear over his jacket. He met Gwen and the other carollers at the market cross, and they headed towards The Manor House.

The house was beautifully decorated for the holidays. They were welcomed and shown into a sitting room where there were trays of minced pies and mugs of hot cocoa and mulled wine. Arthur was greeting everyone as they entered the room, and Merlin's stomach dropped again. His hair was as golden as ever, his jaw just as strong, his smile as endearingly crooked. He reached out and shook Arthur's hand.

"Welcome to The Manor House -" Arthur said, waiting for a name.

"Merlin."

"Merlin. That's a nice jumper."

Merlin blushed. Arthur hadn't let go of his hand yet, and Merlin's heart was beating painfully.

"Thank you."

"Are you new to the village? I don't think I've seen you around."

"I moved here a few months ago."

"I thought I hadn't seen you around. I would have remembered you."

His voice was a low rumble that made Merlin's toes curl, and he still hadn't let go of Merlin's hand.

Merlin, feeling slightly light headed, said, "I've seen you around," because Merlin was an idiot.

Arthur's let go of Merlin's hand and laughed, "I'm glad to hear that, Merlin."

Merlin escaped and rushed to Gwen's side, trying hard not to think about the fact that he and Arthur had just flirted with each other. As his fellow carollers munched minced pies and drank too much mulled wine, Merlin pretended he was elsewhere, not noticing at all that whenever he happened to set eyes on Arthur, Arthur was looking back at him.

When it came time to sing the carols, they congregated in the front hall around a massive, live Christmas tree, and sang. Merlin knew the songs by heart, but he couldn't have told you what he sang, because Arthur was watching him, and Merlin was distracted.

On their way back outside to walk through the village and sing carols door to door, Arthur was saying farewell to everyone at the door. Merlin's mouth was dry as he waited his turn, and when his turn came, Arthur held out his hand.

Merlin shook Arthur's hand briefly, and then put the folded piece of paper Arthur had handed him into his back pocket.

"I have a feeling my Christmas wish is going to come true a little early this year," Arthur said, and although Merlin blushed, he couldn't let such a cheesy line slide.

"Please have better chat when I phone you."

" _When_ you phone me?"

"You think you have the corner market on Christmas wishes?"

Arthur smiled, his ears slightly pink.

"I look forward to hearing from you, Merlin. Enjoy the carolling."

Merlin jogged down the drive to catch up with Gwen, thinking he was happy enough to sing a hundred c arols, and feeling very grateful indeed that their first stop of the night had been The Manor House.


	13. Days 13, 14, and 15 - Wrapping Paper, Eggnog, and Laughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a present wrapping party, and Arthur and Merlin are keeping something from their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to combine three prompts because I couldn't think of anything individually. Besides, I'm behind and I wanted to catch up. I hope you like it.

Arthur was adding more rum to the eggnog when the rest of the gang arrived and went straight through to the dining room where Gwen and Morgana were organising everything. He heard Merlin before he saw him - Merlin's laugh so welcome and familiar.

Arthur smiled, feeling warm, content, and wonderful. Merlin came into the kitchen and, looking over his shoulder to see that there were no witnesses, he slipped his arms around Arthur, his hands going into Arthur’s back pockets. Their kiss was swift and soft, and Arthur's heart rate skyrocketed.

"Merlin," Arthur whispered, his eyes on the doorway, "what if someone saw us."

"Gwaine is telling stories from his work night out. Trust me, no one will notice us."

Merlin kissed him again, and Arthur pulled him close, his hands at Merlin’s back, Merlin’s shoulders moving beneath his skin.

"Mmm," Merlin said, pulling back and letting Arthur go, "nutmeg and rum."

"It's the eggnog, help yourself," Arthur smiled, tucking a lock of Merlin’s hair behind his ear. His heart fluttered and soared - he had wanted to be with Merlin this way for so very, very long. The fact that it was happening was almost too much for Arthur to comprehend. Every time Merlin smiled at him Arthur felt light headed. When they touched Arthur could barely breathe.

On Merlin’s insistence they were taking it slow, and they hadn't yet told anyone about their switch from friends to boyfriends, and that suited Arthur just fine. He didn't want to share this with anyone, yet.

"Trust you to be first at the eggnog, Merlin," Percy joked, slapping both of them on the shoulder as he picked up the tray of glasses that Merlin was filling.

"If you had as much to drink last night as Gwaine says you had, maybe you should abstain," Merlin laughed, shouldering Percy, but his eyes were on Arthur, and he winked.

"Yes, and acording to Gwaine our work night out was an orgy, which I can assure you it most certainly was not," Percy defended himself, carrying the tray through to the dining room.

Merlin mouthed the word _orgy_ at Arthur, laughing silently, and Arthur, trying to steady himself, followed them both into the dining room.

It looked as though a supermarket Christmas aisle had exploded - there was wrapping paper, bags, ribbons, and bows everywhere. Everyone took a break from cutting, taping, and ribboning to grab a glass of eggnog, and Gwaine was still in full flow, everyone laughing and shaking their heads in equal measure.

It was the same every year, they got together for a wrapping party, and they talked and drank and laughed while wrapping their presents for family, friends, and colleagues. It was Arthur's favourite holiday tradition. A friendly gathering with zero pressure. Just a chance to decompress and have a laugh with the people he cared most about.

Arthur sat on the opposite side of the table from Merlin, and he felt Merlin kick his feet under the table, his eyes twinkling. This time last year Arthur had been almost afraid to look at Merlin in case his feelings became too obvious. Arthur felt his face turning red, and Merlin kicked him again, his smile crooked.

"What hijinks did you get up to at your party then, Princess?" Gwaine asked, sitting beside Arthur with an unceremonious thud. 

"Mine's tonight, but I might not go."

"You have to go! Think of all the short dresses!"

Gwaine stopped, his eyes narrowed, as a hush fell over the room. Arthur had only come out a few weeks ago, and everyone was still adjusting.

"Oh, sorry, right. No dresses. Think of all the tight trousers, then!"

Arthur, and everyone else, laughed. Merlin had been taking a drink, and he was now coughing and laughing at the same time, Percival hitting him hard on his back as he spluttered. 

"Tactful as ever, Gwaine," Arthur said, rolling his eyes and grabbing a roll of wrapping paper to get started on his stack of gifts.

"Oh, hey, Merlin, you're gay." Gwaine said, and there were shouts from around the tabme, "what?"

Gwaine was oblivious to the fact that he had said anything out of order, but Merlin just shook his head in an exasperated way and cleared his throat.

"I am, yes."

"Maybe you could give the Princess some tips," Gwaine said, and Percival whacked him on the head with a roll of paper as everyone erupted into laughter again.

"Gwaine would you shut up, please," Morgana said, shaking her head.

"Someone take his eggnog away, I think he may still be drunk," Freya laughed, tying a bright ribbon around her parcel.

Under the table, Merlin's feet found Arthur's again, and Arthur looked at Merlin, his face burning.

"First of all, Gwaine, its not like there's a handbook, although that would probably be helpful. Second, I think he's doing pretty well on his own," Merlin said, his whole face a smile. Arthur felt warm and breathless watching Merli - that hair he was allowed to run his fingers through and those lips he was allowed to kiss. 

Arthur stared at Merlin, reckless, until Gwaine whacked him on the head with wrapping paper, and Arthur was forced to look away long enough to punch Gwaine playfully on the arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, I'm writing this on an old mobile phone in an airport waiting lounge.


	14. Day 16 - Ice Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin are stranded in an ice storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one ran away with me, and it's more than 5,000 words long. I AM SO SORRY. I know they're meant to be drabbles but I couldn't stop myself, and I didn't want to half-ass it. So here's a 5,164 word long mini-fic (lol, I know). Enjoy, I guess?
> 
> Feel free to skip it, but the next chapter (day 17, ornaments), is going to be a continuation.

"They're not coming," Arthur said, and Merlin's heart slammed in his chest. Not coming? But that meant Arthur and Merlin would be alone in the cottage all weekend! That was  _ not _ a good idea. Merlin had a hard enough time not letting on how he felt about Arthur in a room full of people, but an entire weekend - a  _ three-day _ weekend - on his own with Arthur was pushing his luck.

“Apparently the storm has just gotten worse, and they’re not even going to try to leave London,” Arthur said, looking around him at the cottage that he and Merlin had spent all afternoon lavishly decorating for Christmas. Merlin was just thinking to himself  _ please for all that is holy in this world please don’t let him suggest we just drink our way through the weekend, please _ when Arthur arrived at his side with two bottles of cider and handed one to Merlin.

Merlin looked out of the window, contemplating escape, just to see if the storm was really as bad as everyone said, and everything he could see was glinting slightly, completely covered in ice. Damn.

Arthur threw himself onto the sofa and turned on the television, settling in with his cider and a packet of crisps. Merlin, resigned to his fate, settled on the opposite end of the sofa and sipped his drink. His only, desperate hope was that the storm would let up by the morning, and the rest of their friends would join them then. 

Halfway through their second Christmas film, their fourth drinks, and their third packet of crisps, Merlin couldn’t remember why he had been so uptight when he had learned that he and Arthur would be alone for the weekend. They were best friends, after all. Had been best friends for years. They could survive a weekend alone. They could survive anything at all. Merlin was being silly.

Their oven pizza was only half-cooked when the power went out. Arthur opened the oven door and stared into the darkness, frowning. “It’ll probably still taste good, what do you think, Merlin?”

“Arthur, we can’t see to eat it,” Merlin said, groping at the space in front of him and trying to find the edge of the kitchen counter. He tripped over Arthur, who was still kneeling by the oven, and nearly went down, but Arthur, miraculously, caught him.

“I don’t think emergency services is going to make it all the way out here in this weather, Merlin. Please be more careful.”

Merlin muttered to himself, trying to stand up without stepping on Arthur, or the oven, or the pizza, and he was thankful for Arthur’s helping hand, even if it was against the bare skin of his abdomen.

“I’m going to find a torch,” Merlin said, carefully stepping away from Arthur and trying to find the drawers. It was exactly as pitch black as could be expected inside the cottage, with no lights visible from the windows and a heavy storm obscuring the moon and stars. Merlin could barely hear Arthur rescuing the half-cooked pizza from the oven over his own heavy breathing, but he managed to find the drawer with the torches. The light was blinding, and he quickly pointed the beam into the adjoining room.

Arthur had started eating the pizza. Because of course he had. “‘S’not bad.”

“You’re disgusting,” Merlin said, shaking his head. Even buzzed on four bottles of cider there was no way he was going to be eating partially frozen oven pizza.

“Here, have some, you need more meat on you. I think I could feel your ribs there when you fell on me,” Arthur wasn’t looking at Merlin, which was good, because Merlin turned immediately red from head to foot, and, ignoring Arthur completely, nearly ran into the other room.

Lighting a fire in the fireplace was a lot harder work in complete blackness. Once the flames were burning happily, Arthur came in from the kitchen. He was drinking another bottle of cider, and he held out an apple for Merlin, who dusted his sooty hands on his trousers and took it.

“Will we move the bed in here? I don’t suppose the heating will be working,” Arthur said, looking around himself. Merlin coughed, small bits of apple flying in every direction. 

“The bed?” Merlin managed, still coughing.

“I’m not sleeping on that lumpy old sofa, no matter how cold it is in the bedrooms. I just thought it would be easier to sleep in here where it’s warmer. Well, once you get the fire going it should be warmer, I guess.”

“First of all, this is what a fire looks like when it’s  _ going _ , and second of all, I don’t think we should be moving their furniture.”

Merlin didn’t say that he thought sharing a bed was a terrible idea because he’d been secretly in love with Arthur for years. He didn’t say that, regardless of the temperature, he would be unable to sleep while lying next to Arthur. He didn’t say that he thought the gods were watching them and having an awful laugh at Merlin’s expense because REALLY? Stranded in an ice storm  _ and _ there’s only one bed? That was just CRUEL.

No, Merlin didn’t say any of those things. He just helped Arthur move the lightest looking double bed from the closest bedroom into the living room (decorated for Christmas, by the way, did he forget to mention that?), and helped Arthur lug plenty of blankets through as well.

Almost an hour later they sat against the foot of the bed, basking in the warmth of the fire. Having checked the weather they saw that it was forecast to be record low temperatures. Merlin had assured Arthur that the amount of wood they had would last them until at least the morning, though they closed off the doors to the room and drew the heavy curtains, trying to keep the heat inside.

It was pleasant, beautiful, and cosy. And Merlin was terrified.

“Well, I think I’ll get some sleep. Maybe the weather will be better tomorrow, and if the others arrive we’ll have a busy day ahead of-”

“I sort of hope they don’t come,” Arthur said, his head tilted back so that Merlin could see the firelight on his golden skin. Not that he was looking.

“What do you mean? Why?”

“I like the others, don’t get me wrong, and of course I love my sister, but I like you best, and it’s nice to just have some time together.”

Merlin’s heart slowed to a stop for a few seconds before beginning to beat like a bass drum in his chest. Arthur looked at him and their eyes met, and neither of them looked away. Merlin’s mind was racing. What was happening?

“Do you like spending time with me?” Arthur asked. Merlin swallowed and hoped that his voice didn’t betray him.

“Of course I do. You’re my best friend,” Merlin said, meaning  _ you’re my favourite person in the entire world and I love you desperately _ . Arthur smiled slowly, then stood and bounded towards the kitchen leaving Merlin struggling to breathe. Merlin put his face in his hands and pulled hard on his hair. 

“What did we bring to eat that we don’t need to cook?”

“How can you possibly still be hungry?”

“I’m a growing boy, Merlin, and we need to feed you up. I definitely felt ribs. Come and eat.”

“We should probably try to keep the fridge closed as much as possible to stop the food from spoiling, but anything that’s in the freezer is probably going to have to go in the bin.”

“Say no more,” Arthur said, and he pulled out a tub of ice cream from the freezer. Merlin shook his head, but grabbed two spoons, and another couple of bottles of cider.

They sat on the floor between the bed and the fire and ate the ice cream. It was like something out of a child’s dream of dinner, and it was wonderful. They even fought over the last spoonful, but Arthur won that fight as he won all of their physical altercations, and Merlin, pouting, watched Arthur eat the last bite.

Except Arthur only took half of the ice cream off the spoon, and offered the other half to Merlin, who didn’t have time to think about it before Arthur’s spoon half-full of ice cream was in his mouth. Merlin’s brain was screaming, and Arthur was watching him, his eyes on Merlin’s lips and a lazy smile on his face like he was doing something nice by letting his best friend have the last bite of ice cream. If he wasn't already flushed from the heat of the fire Merlin’s burning red face would have been all too conspicuous. Arthur lowered the spoon and put it beside Merlin’s in the empty ice cream container. 

“Toilets still work when there’s no electricity, right?” Arthur asked, leaping to his feet and springing out the door without waiting for an answer.

Merlin put his head between his hands again, pulling his hair as he faced an entirely silent scream towards the fire. The weather would be better in the morning and even if their friends couldn’t come to join them, Merlin would insist that they go home. It was questionable whether Merlin was going to survive the night - three days was completely out of the question.

When Arthur returned from the bathroom, Merlin had cleared away the ice cream and the empty bottles of cider. The room was chilly even with the fire going, and the sound of howling wind outside could be heard easily. 

“Some storm, eh?” Merlin asked, looking through the gap in the curtains. Arthur stepped beside him, the full warmth of his body pressed against Merlin’s as he leaned to look out of the curtains as well. Merlin panicked, “I don’t think you should be so close to me!”

Arthur turned to look at him, his eyebrows raised.

“I think I might be coming down with a cold,” Merlin finished, pathetically. Arthur shook his head and laughed.

“Merlin, if that was true I'd have already caught it. Stop being such an  _ idiot _ ."

Arthur flung himself down on the bed and gazed at the fire lit Christmas tree. Merlin, knowing now that  _ not _ joining Arthur in bed would be the more conspicuous action, lay as far from Arthur as possible.

"Which is your favourite ornament?" Arthur asked, his arms pretzeled behind his head, looking totally relaxed. They had spent literally hours decorating this room. They’d bought a live tree from a local market and had wound lights and tinsel around it, and hung it with dozens of ornaments. Merlin was simultaneously sad that their friends wouldn’t see their hard work and ridiculously glad that it was there for just him and Arthur to enjoy.

Merlin looked at the tree and saw a graceful wooden star, the lines between points more curved than straight. "That one."

Arthur looked where he was pointing and smiled, nodding as though he'd guessed the correct answer.

"Yours?" 

Arthur pointed at a blown glass bauble, the light from the fire glinting off its blue surface. "That one."

They lay in silence for a while, the lateness of the hour and Merlin's exhaustion and panic making his limbs heavy. The fire crackled gently, and when the light faded to a rosy amber glow, Merlin went to tend the fire.

"We can't leave it burning all night, there's no fireguard, but the embers will still be warm."

"That's OK," Arthur said, his voice muffled, "there's plenty of blankets."

Merlin glanced at Arthur long enough to see that he'd removed his t-shirt, then he escaped to the bathroom where he screamed silently at his reflection for a solid minute before splashing frigid water on his face and brushing his teeth.

Merlin then had a frantic argument with himself over how many pairs of pants it was reasonable to wear under his denims in the hope of containing any  _ surprises _ that might occur over the course of the next few hours. He decided on two and rushed into what should have been his room to extricate a second pair from his suitcase.

Then he picked his mother's favourite Frank Sinatra song and began to sing it repeatedly in his head. This would serve two purposes, first, it would be a constant, low-grade reminder of his mother, which would hopefully keep any sexual thoughts about Arthur at bay. Second, it would serve as a jaunty white noise to drown out the frantic hum of the very cliched and insane fan fiction plot that was unfolding in his very real life.

Once he had himself sufficiently mentally prepared he returned to the living room where Arthur was lying on his stomach one arm crooked beneath his head, his very bare and very muscular back only half covered by the blankets.

At which point Merlin consoled himself that, try as he might, there was no point whatsoever in him trying to be mentally prepared. All thoughts of his mother vanished, and he was struggling to remember who Frank Sinatra even was. He climbed into bed, turning his back to Arthur and trying to get as far away as possible without falling to the floor, and settled down for what was going to be a very awkward and likely sleepless night.

When Merlin woke he knew it was after sunrise because there was dim light seeping in beyond the curtains. It was cold enough in the room that Merlin could see his breath, even in the near darkness. Arthur was still sleeping, wrapped around Merlin like a blanket. Arthur’s head was burrowed in Merlin’s neck, Arthur’s breath fanning out over his shoulder. One arm was slotted neatly beneath Merlin’s head, and the other was clasped around Merlin’s torso, holding him tight. One of Arthur’s legs was slung over Merlin, too, Arthur’s ankle wedged behind Merlin’s knee.

_ If they turn me down once more I’ll join the French Foreign Legion _ , Merlin began to sing in his head at top volume,  _ bet you they would welcome me with open arms. _

It was too much. Even thoughts of his mother weren’t enough to distract Merlin from the thought of Arthur’s bare arms clutching Merlin like a pillow. How was he expected to survive this? Merlin attempted to wiggle out of Arthur’s vice-like grip without waking Arthur up, but any movement Merlin made caused Arthur to hold him tighter. 

_ First you love me yes, then you love me no, I don’t know where I stand. Do we march together down the aisle or do I march that desert sand? _

Arthur shifted, his leg wrapping tighter, and he moaned quietly, burrowing his head deeper into Merlin’s neck. Merlin clenched his teeth. 

_ If you think I won’t find romance in the French Foreign Legion think about that uniform with all its charm. JUST ONE MORE TIME ARE YOU GONNA BE MINE OR AU REVOIR CHERI IT’S THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION FOR ME! _

“Merlin? Why are you singing French Foreign Legion?” 

Oh, fuck. He’d been singing out loud. His entire life was ruined.

“Not that I’m complaining. Big Sinatra fan, you know, but it’s  _ early _ .”

Despite the fact that Arthur was obviously awake now, he had made no move to untangle their bodies. Merlin made to pull away again, but Arthur did not let him go.

“Why is your heart beating so fast?” Arthur murmured, and Merlin bit his bottom lip and trained his eyes on the ceiling which he could barely see in the dark room. He was not going to answer the question. He was never going to speak again. He was going to, somehow, escape the bed, and then he was going to leave and never, ever come back.

“Seriously, it’s like you’ve been running.”

“I, um,” Merlin cleared his throat and tried again, deciding on the truth, “I’m not entirely comfortable having you this close to me.”

Arthur looked down at their bodies and then back at Merlin, “Why not? We’re friends, aren't we?”

“Friends don’t sleep like this, Arthur.  _ Friends _ respect the opposite side of the bed rule.”

Arthur still didn’t move, but Merlin could feel his smiling against the skin of his neck. Merlin knew he was about to be teased until he couldn’t form proper sentences because that was Arthur’s way.

“Who does sleep like this,  _ Mer _ lin? If not friends, I mean,” Arthur began, and Merlin shook his head, annoyed. Trust Arthur to wake in a playful mood when Merlin was holding on to his sanity by the flimsiest thread. “ _ Boy _ friends?” Arthur asked, then he moved his mouth to Merlin’s ear and whispered, “Lovers?”

Merlin tried to shove Arthur off him, and Arthur finally obliged, laughing heartily, but disentangling himself in any case. Merlin vaulted from the bed and dashed to the toilet. It was freezing in the house, but he would just have to suffer. He was not, under any circumstances, going back to that bed. Glancing out the window he saw that the storm had not gotten any better. Everything he could see looked as though it was covered in at least an inch of solid ice. The trees were drooping under the weight, and the entire landscape looked still and quiet.

When he got back to the living room Arthur was still under the covers, having pulled them up to his chin. Merlin went to the fireplace and started trying to light a fire. He knew Arthur was watching him, and he could feel himself blushing, but there was nothing to be done about that. At some point, Arthur left the bed and went to the toilet, but Merlin did not look around. 

Arthur came back, dancing into the room like the floor was made of ice and he jumped into the bed, burrowing back under the blankets.

“It’s bloody freezing out there.”

“The fire’s almost lit.”

“Aren’t you freezing?”

“You could put more clothes on if you’re so cold,” Merlin muttered, squeezing his hands together to try to get the circulation going. He was having trouble lighting the matches to get the fire started.

“My clothes are too far away,” Arthur’s voice sounded muffled and when Merlin glanced over his shoulder it was to see Arthur completely covered with blankets, head and all. That suited Merlin just fine. The less he had to look at Arthur, the better.

“I’ll go and get them for you, then,” Merlin said, standing once the fire was lit.

“Don’t, Merlin, it’s too cold. We’re fine here as we are. Come back under the covers, it’s cosy.”

“Arthur…” Merlin began, but he had no idea what he was going to say. 

“I’m sorry I teased you before. I promise I didn’t octopus intentionally, I was sleeping, and I was just in a good mood when I woke up. I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”

Merlin heaved a gigantic sigh, but he was actually freezing, and after he rushed to the kitchen for a bottle of water and a chocolate bar each, he climbed back under the covers. Arthur was right, it was much warmer under there. 

“I’m never going to get out of bed again,” Merlin said, conceding defeat.

“Told you,” Arthur smirked, ripping open his chocolate bar.

The morning passed with the two of them lying side by side on the bed, laughing and chatting like they always had, and Merlin almost forgot that they were stranded on a Christmas Party weekend with just the two of them. Eventually, the fire burned too low to make a difference to either the light or the temperature, and Arthur’s stomach rumbling from hunger made it necessary to leave their cocoon of warmth.

“I’ll get the fire going again, you make something to eat,” Merlin said, bracing himself. The fire he had made that morning had not been big enough to warm the room, and it was freezing. Arthur nodded at him like they were undertaking a covert mission for MI6, then they both rolled out of their own sides of the bed and were off. 

Merlin stoked the fire and got it properly blazing in only a few minutes, and he could hear Arthur humming to himself as he made jam sandwiches. He considered going through to help Arthur in the kitchen but decided instead to have a quick wash. He took a change of clothes into the bathroom, and was stripped, washed, dried, and dressed again as quickly as humanly possible. He came back into the living room to find Arthur sitting by the fire with a plate of sandwiches, staring at him.

"What?"

"Your hair's wet."

"Yes. I washed it under the tap. It was bloody freezing," Merlin said, sitting opposite Arthur. They talked and ate and laughed and joked until the food was gone, and outside they could hear the storm worsening again. The fire was warm, but Merlin knew they would soon be out of wood, and he was dreading going out to get more, though they would have to go before the sun set.

"I wonder what the others are up to," Arthur mused, watching the fire. 

"We should probably check in with them," Merlin said, surprised that he'd not seen his phone in almost a day, and even more surprised that he did not miss it.

"Tell you what, I'll phone my sister while you go and get the book you brought with you - yes, of course, I know you brought a book, when are you ever without one? Then we'll get some wood, and we can settle by the fire after and you can read your book."

"Out loud?" 

"Yes of course out loud, what am I meant to do when you're reading to yourself?"

"I was just clarifying, you prat, no need to get so shirty," Merlin said, but he went to get the book from his room.

"Everyone says hello, and they're glad we aren't dead. Now," Arthur said when Merlin got back, "I'm going to get some fuel for the fire. You stay here and figure out how to make us a cup of tea. Deal?"

Merlin pulled Arthur's winter hat down low over his ears and smiled, "Deal. Please do not freeze to death, I'm not terribly fond of paperwork."

"Tea, Merlin. I expect tea when I return," Arthur said solemnly, as though he was embarking on a trek to the arctic and not simply going outside.

"Yes, yes, I'll make the bloody tea."

Merlin tried to ignore the sounds of Arthur struggling to remain upright, but he couldn't help peeking through the curtains. It was like a skating rink out there, but Arthur seemed to be managing. Merlin went to the kitchen and fetched a saucepan, filling it with water from the tap, and went back to the fireside to heat it up. He put the teabags in the pot and brought through two mugs. He also grabbed a packet of biscuits.

By the time Arthur returned, looking like a conquering hero out of a fairy story, the tea was ready, and Merlin was swathed in a blanket at the foot of the bed, nibbling a biscuit and reading through his ancient copy of A Christmas Carol which was the only book he'd brought with him.

"You look comfy," Arthur said, dumping an armload of sticks and logs onto the ground beside the fireplace.

"I am," Merlin smiled, taking another sip of his tea. Arthur rolled his eyes, long-suffering, and stormed from the room. He returned with another armload, harumphing and grumbling as though this was the hardest physical work he had ever undertaken and wasn't Merlin lucky to be so well looked after. 

Merlin loudly crunched a biscuit as Arthur left the room again. Merlin unwrapped himself long enough to build up the fire and arrange the bigger logs so that they would dry, then he regained the comfort of his blankets.

When Arthur reappeared he was wearing Christmas pyjamas and his hair was wet. "That waters' bloody baltic!" Merlin handed Arthur his cup of tea and waited for Arthur to settle before he began to read.

"Marley was dead to begin with," Merlin read, and Arthur watched him, the two of them comfortably working their way through the tea, the biscuits, and the Dickens. 

Just after the first ghost vanished, Arthur cleared his throat rather impressively, and Merlin looked up from the book. It was clear that Arthur had something to say, but that he was working through how to say it. Merlin was about to point out that the only version of A Christmas Carol that Arthur knew was probably the one with the muppets and, yes the book was  _ slightly _ different, when Arthur started speaking.

"Did you ever come very, very close to having something you wanted, but you were too afraid to reach out and get it?"

Merlin watched Arthur, his profile thrown into contrast by the dwindling flames. His hair was the same, glossy golden as always. His cheekbones were sharp, and his stubbled jawline was strong, and, as always, Merlin wanted to reach out and touch it. Run a finger along Arthur’s lips. Cup his chin. Touch his ears. Merlin was _ desperate _ to touch Arthur's ears. That wasn't _ normal  _ for friends, and he knew it. 

"Yes," Merlin said, his voice quiet.

Arthur nodded, thinking. After a few moments, it didn't seem as though he was going to say anything else, and Merlin wondered whether he should start reading again.

"I'm not generally a coward," Arthur said, and Merlin looked up, their eyes locking, "But I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life."

"Is it something I can help you with?" Merlin asked, clocking the page number and setting the book aside.

"Maybe." 

"Okay. What can I do?"

"Can you promise nothing will change?" 

Merlin narrowed his eyes, wondering what Arthur meant. "Change how?"

"I mean between us, after.”

Merlin thought through the (admittedly short) list of things that Arthur would have to do to change how merlin felt about him, but he very, very much doubted Arthur was about to confess to murdering someone innocent or to being the one who had cancelled Firefly. “Arthur, we’re best mates, yeah? I think you’re safe.”

Arthur stared into the fire for a few more seconds, then he turned to Merlin. There was fear in his eyes, and Merlin began to really feel nervous. In the instant before Merlin said something just to break the tension, Arthur leaned forward and, very tentatively, kissed him.

It was a soft, barely-there brushing together of lips and Arthur pulled away before Merlin really knew what was happening. They stared at each other, Arthur visibly terrified, before Merlin felt himself soften, the tension caused by their conversation evaporating completely. He reached up and gently cupped Arthur’s face, fingers brushing the shell of Arthur’s ear, and he leaned forward and kissed Arthur again, properly. 

They kissed in the firelight, wrapped in blankets at the foot of the bed, while outside an ice storm ruined everyone else’s plans for the weekend. They kissed like they were the first two people to realise that kissing felt good. Merlin somehow wound up sitting on Arthur’s lap, straddling his crossed legs, his hands fisted in Arthur’s golden hair, and Arthur’s arms wrapped so tightly around him he struggled to inhale. Merlin knew they would need to stop at some point, that they would have to have a conversation about what all of this kissing meant, but for now, he was content to just kiss Arthur and to let himself be kissed  _ by _ Arthur until the fire began to die, and the room around them grew steadily darker and colder.

Merlin pulled back, Arthur chasing him and kissing his jaw, the hollow of his neck, his adam’s apple. Merlin breathed, the smell of wood smoke and fresh pine tree and Arthur _ ArthurArthur _ . 

“There are necessaries that need to be addressed, Arthur,” Merlin said, distracted as Arthur’s teeth nipped behind his ear.

“I’ve been thinking about kissing you for  _ years _ , Merlin, the necessaries can wait.”

“In a few moments, it’s going to be freezing cold in here again. Let me build up the fire, then I promise we can pick up where we left off,” Merlin said, his eyes rolling back in his head as Arthur ran his tongue along the edge of his ear and bit gently at his earlobe. Arthur cradled him gently in his arms as he leaned forward, pushing Merlin back onto the blankets, his head near the hearth and Arthur prowling towards him between his bent knees.

Merlin wrapped his legs around Arthur’s waist and Arthur leaned down to kiss him again until they were both breathless. 

“I’m curious, Arthur, how long do you think it would have taken you to confess your feelings for me if we hadn’t been stranded in a cabin in the middle of nowhere during an ice storm?” Merlin asked, as Arthur finally pulled away, standing up and reaching a hand down for Merlin.

“I’ve been thinking seriously about telling you for about three months now? Maybe four?” 

Merlin backed Arthur into the edge of the bed and pushed him gently, smiling as he thudded against the mattress and scooted back with his elbows trying to escape Merlin who was narrowing his eyes in annoyance, kneeling on the bed and crawling towards Arthur with intent.

“Four months?” Merlin asked, and Arthur let out a small yelp as Merlin gained on him, his elbow slipping out beneath him as he fell flat on his back again, his eyes wide. Merlin took advantage and loomed over Arthur, pinning him down with one knee either side of his hips. Then he leaned slowly in, his face inches from Arthur’s, “You’re telling me you wasted four months when we could have been together?”

“Yes?” Arthur squeaked and Merlin shook his head.

“You are a complete  _ idiot _ , Arthur.”

Merlin kissed the tip of Arthur’s nose and then bounced off the bed, and made his way towards the kitchen. He could hear Arthur humming Frank Sinatra’s French Foreign Legion as he clumsily added logs to the fire. Merlin dug through the cupboards to find something they could eat for dinner, occasionally glancing out of the kitchen window at the storm outside and smiling as he’d never smiled before.

They ate cheese with fruit and crackers on the rug before the fire, and the feeling slowly came back into their fingers and toes. When they were finished they tidied the dishes away and retired to the bed, piling on all of the blankets to keep out the chill of the night. Outside the cottage the ice storm continued, the strong wind rattling the glass in the windows and draughting down the fireplace, but they were warm together.

It was only the second time Arthur and Merlin had ever shared a bed.

Neither of them got much sleep.


	15. Day 17 - Ornament(s)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas ornaments spark memories for both Arthur and Merlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a continuation of the previous chapter - Day 16 - Ice Storm - and the Arthur and Merlin in this chapter are the same as in that one.

“Which ornament is your favourite?” Arthur asked, sitting on the sofa with Merlin’s head on his lap, gently running his hands through Merlin’s hair. Merlin smiled softly and pointed to the tree at the wooden star ornament with curved lines instead of straight.

“That one. What’s yours?” Merlin asked, and Arthur’s heart swelled as he pointed to the blue glass bauble that was the same colour as Merlin’s eyes. Merlin sat up and moved so that he was sitting astride Arthur, who put his hands on Merlin’s thighs as Merlin leaned in and kissed him.

It had been a year since the ice storm had stranded them for four days in that country cottage, but it felt like yesterday. The terror Arthur had felt when he finally decided to confess how he felt. The insane joy of learning that Merlin felt the same. How wonderful it had been to have no secrets between them, finally. Merlin humming French Foreign Legion while he shaved with ice-cold water from the tap, his skin raw from Arthur’s stubble. Arthur letting Merlin assume he’d been traipsing back and forth from the woods for fuel for their fire only for Merlin to discover on the last day that the owner of the cottage had been delivering wood for them. Eating nothing but junk food because they had no means of cooking. Tea made with water boiled over the fire. A smudge of soot on Merlin’s cheek after he had cleared ashes out of the fireplace. The fresh pine smell of the Christmas tree and the light from the fire. The taste of Merlin’s mouth and the feel of his lips against Arthur’s skin. Merlin’s endless patience with Arthur who was nervous and uncertain. The sound of Merlin’s heartbeat as Arthur lay with his head on Merlin’s chest, both of them cosy beneath the blankets in the cold room.

Merlin leaned back, smiling, and reached into the drawer of the side table, pulling out a small white box with a red ribbon. Inside was a blue-white glass tree ornament in the shape of an icicle. Arthur held it up and watched as it caught the light.

“It’s perfect,” Arthur said as they both stood up and Arthur went to hang the icicle ornament on the tree.

“Happy anniversary, Arthur,” Merlin said, reaching his hands out for Arthur, who took them.


	16. Day 18 - Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur tries very hard to make Merlin his favourite Christmas cookies.

Arthur was covered in flour from head to toe. He was rarely comfortable in the kitchen, and he was worse at baking than he was at cooking, so now he was thoroughly miserable. 

"No, Arthur dear. Like this," Hunith said kindly, showing Arthur for the third time. Arthur stirred the cookie dough exactly like Merlin's mum, but he was somehow still getting it wrong. She looked at him with an expression so like her son that Arthur smiled. 

"Wouldn't it be easier for me to just post some cookies out to you in the week before Christmas?"

There was no malice in her suggestion, and Arthur's feelings weren't really hurt - he knew he was doing spectacularly poorly. 

"They're his favourite cookies, and I just wanted to be able to surprise him," Arthur said, throwing in the towel. Hunith gave Arthur a warm smile and turned back to the task. 

"Okay, you need to be more careful here, you're only mixing dough. You don't need to kill it. Gently. Yes, like that. Now that's what we're looking for. Pinch off a ball of dough and roll it between your hands, like this. Yes. Then put them on the trays and bake them."

Arthur rolled out all the dough and watched as Hunith showed him how to tell when the cookies were done. Eventually he had a tray of finished cookies that were fairly close to the ones Hunith made every Christmas.

When he left Hunith's house she bid him farewell with a smile, wishing him luck. Arthur knew he would need it.

Over the course of the year Arthur tried, in secret, to make the cookies, but each time he failed in a new and surprising way. Hunith was always there to lend a helping hand, but eventually he was too embarrassed to phone her. When Christmas came he would just have to try his best and hope that he succeeded.

The Friday before Christmas Arthur took the entire day off work without telling Merlin, and he spent the day baking. He mixed the dough like he had been shown. He pinched and rolled and baked. As much as it surprised him, he ended up doing everything exactly perfect. 

He was waiting with the plate of cookies when Merlin came home from work. He heard the door open and he dashed to the hallway.

"Hi, Arthur! Wait, are those? _Did my mum send me cookies_?" The look on Merlin's face was ecstatic as he dashed forward and grabbed the plate with both hands. Arthur felt like his heart might explode. Merlin took a cookie and bit in, his eyes closed, and he let out a strangled sort of moan. 

"Oh, Arthur, you have to try one. She's outdone herself this year! They're even better than normal!"

Arthur looked down at the cookies, frowning. He'd had one himself, just to check that they weren't a disaster, and they hadn't tasted any different from Hunith's at all, and they certainly hadn't been better. His heart sank.

"Hunith told you I was going to make them, didn't she?" Arthur guessed.

"She warned me not to get my hopes up, actually," Merlin said, nodding.

"Traitor," Arthur pouted, but Merlin took the plate of cookies and set them on the hallway table, wrapping his arms around Arthur and kissing him.

"Did you know you have flour in your hair?" Merlin said, pulling away and grabbing Arthur's hand, "Now tell me how much of a disaster you made of our kitchen before I see it for myself."

Arthur followed, still pouting. Trust Hunith to betray him like that, though Arthur did not blame her. All Arthur really wanted was for Merlin to have the Christmas cookies he loved so much, and if the two of them had to collaborate for that to happen, so be it.

"Arthur, are you sure you've been baking in here? It's spotless!" 

"I am capable of tidying up, at least," Arthur grumped, still cross. Merlin smoothed his forehead, running his hands down Arthur's cheeks and gripping his chin.

"You're not still cross with me, are you? I'm sorry my mum told me about the cookies, but it's a good thing, really."

"Oh yeah? Why is that?"

"I've had plenty of time to think of exactly how I want to thank you." 

Merlin stepped back, raising his eyebrows in a comically suggestive way, and Arthur laughed, his skin tingling, all disappointment vanishing instantly.

"Is that so?" Arthur purred, stepping towards Merlin. "Well, whatever you have in mind we are not doing it here. It's taken me all bloody afternoon to clean this kitchen."

Merlin laughed as he pranced from the kitchen, Arthur capering after him, trying to catch him.

Afterwards Arthur thought it had been a very excellent way to say thank you but, then again, they had been very excellent cookies.


	17. Day 19 - Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin is fed up wishing for things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gifting today's chapter to [GuessImAClotpole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guessimaclotpole/pseuds/Guessimaclotpole) . Because she is, quite frankly, amazing. <3 <3

Merlin polished Arthur's armour and he  _ wished. _

Merlin cleaned Arthur's chambers and he  _ wished _ .

Merlin saved Arthur's life with magic and he  _ wished _ . 

Merlin helped Arthur undress and he  _ wished _ .

At times it seemed as though Merlin was made up entirely of wishes - of hopes and dreams and desires that could never be acknowledged or come to pass. Every time he saw Arthur, spoke to him, laughed with him, or touched him, Merlin was reduced to his basest functions in the smouldering wreckage of all his unfulfilled wishes.

_ "What do you wish of me, your highness?" _

_ "As you wish, my lord." _

It wore Merlin down, the constant wanting, and he felt as though there wasn't much of him left, really, that wasn't tainted somehow by desire.

\--

Arthur had sensed that something was wrong with Merlin for weeks before he had a chance to do anything about it. He asked his knights, he asked Gaiius and Guinevere, and he even asked Morgana. They all replied as though he should have noticed something by now, but hadn't. As though what was troubling Merlin was as obvious as the colour of the sky. It had annoyed Arthur greatly. He was the king! Surely they realised he had other things on his mind apart from his temperamental and increasingly tetchy servant. Especially now in the run up to the midwinter celebrations!

And yet Arthur was bothered. He wished Merlin would just tell him what was wrong so that Arthur could fix it and then Merlin would be back to normal. For reasons he was not allowed to contemplate too closely, Arthur did not like to see Merlin unhappy.

Eventually, Arthur decided that what Merlin needed was a day off. Arthur would enlist another servant's assistance for the day, and Merlin could have a day to rest.

But when he broached the idea to Merlin, Merlin exploded.

"Oh, yes, Merlin must be overworked! There couldn't possibly be any higher brain function there! There couldn't possibly be anything else at all that Merlin would want apart from a day off! That will solve everything!"

"I just thought you might-"

"You know Arthur, if you weren't the king I'd say you were being thick."

"Thick? Merlin, I  _ am _ the king, and you can't-" But Merlin was leaving. Arthur shouted after him, "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking the bloody day off!"

\--

Merlin was in his room when Arthur found him. He had spent the morning angrily tidying, and had just rehidden the last of his magic books when Arthur knocked on his door. He flung himself insolently onto his bed and told Arthur to come in.

Arthur looked rather sheepish for a king, and he closed Merlin's door behind him. Good, he should feel sheepish, the prat.

"I've thought about it, and I may have acted badly, earlier. I know your only desire can't possibly be for a single day off. But as you refuse to tell me what it is you  _ do _ want I don't think it's entirely fair to expect me to guess."

One conclusion that Merlin had come to while he had been angrily tidying was that something had to change. He couldn't go on being so miserable. He would either tell Arthur how he felt, or he would leave Camelot, destiny or no destiny. And if he was going to have to leave Camelot anyway, he might as all risk everything first. Merlin made sure that the door was shut properly before he stood up.

"You want me to tell you what I want?" 

"We are friends, Merlin, I think you should want to tell me."

"Friends? I am going to do two successive things which I believe will change your mind."

"Change my -" Arthur started, but Merlin didn't let him finish. Instead he magicked up a handful of blue butterflies which flew gracefully around them. Then, before Arthur could react to the magic, Merlin did the one thing he had wanted to do to Arthur since the very second they had met. He kissed him.

Merlin might not have kissed many people, but he knew what he was doing, and he applied all of his skills when he kissed Arthur, knowing that this might be the one and only time he would ever get a chance. Arthur was tense beneath him, but Merlin wrapped himself around Arthur's body, unrelenting, and Arthur's lips parted, his hands going to Merlin's hips, his grip painful. Merlin pulled back and sucked in a breath but Arthur chased him, his mouth closing over Merlin's as he propelled them backwards until Merlin hit the wall, his breath slammed out of him.

"How long have you-"

"Since the day we met-"

"Oh, gods, Merlin, why didn't you ever-"

"You were the prince, now you're the king-"

"What does that matter-"

"How long have  _ you- _ "

"That day in the market when you-"

"Oh,  _ Arthur _ , why didn't you-"

"I didn't want you to feel like I was taking advan-"

"I would have let-"

"I wanted it to be proper, to be something more."

Merlin pulled back, both of them breathless. Arthur's lips were swollen, his eyes round with desire. Merlin saw in those eyes every one of his wishes coming to fruition, and he kissed Arthur again.

"You have magic-"

"I was born with it, but I swear I would ne-"

"I trust you-"

"I would never hurt you, or betray you, Arthur, I-"

Arthur was the one to pull back this time, his eyes proving Merlin's face eagerly, a half smile on his lips.

"I trust you with my life," Arthur said.

"I am in love with you," Merlin said. There was a long pause, and one of Merlin's blue butterflies landed on Arthur's shoulders. 

"And I with you," Arthur said finally, the two of them laughing nearly hysterically. Arthur pinned Merlin back against the wall again, fisting a hand in Merlin's hair and kissing his jaw.

"Arthur, we can't-"

"We can and we will-"

"But what are you going to tell every-"

"I think they might already know."

Merlin kissed his king, his heart bursting with a happiness he could never have imagined,and Arthur kissed him back with equal joy.

"If it pleases your Highness," Merlin said, happiness escaping at the edges of his words, "I suggest we move to more comfortable accommodation."

Arthur took Merlin'shand and began to lead him from the room. "As you wish." 


	18. Day 20 - Reindeer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin gets mad when Arthur flirts with someone, so he revenge-flirts with someone else. Or, just these two boys being complete idiots. And reindeer.

Arthur laughed and joked with the farmer, their shoulders brushing together. The farmer ducked his head in a shy smile and Arthur's face glowed, his eyes sparkling. Merlin patted the farmer's reindeer gently, letting them eat feed out of his outstretched hand, and he seethed with jealousy.

For a few insane seconds after Arthur had invited Merlin to go see the reindeer, Merlin had thought he meant together, like  _ together _ . But, no. That wasn't what Arthur had meant. He had meant together like with the guys and Merlin was just deluding himself as always.

Still, Arthur didn't need to rub Merlin's face in it, did he?

\--

Arthur watched the farmer walk away, smiling to himself. What a friendly fellow. And reindeer were fascinating creatures, Arthur couldn't wait to tell Merlin everything he'd learned. However, before he could turn to find Merlin, Gwaine appeared at his side. 

"Arthur, please stop being such an ass."

Arthur followed Gwaine's fleeting glance to Merlin, who was petting a reindeer and looking like he might cry. Why was he sad? What was wrong? Could Arthur fix it? 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's fine to flirt with folk, hell, that's my natural state of being, but do you have to be so obvious with it in front of Merlin?"

"I wasn't  _ flirting _ , and what do you mean  _ in front of Merlin _ ? Why would that matter?"

"I know you're thick, mate, but surely even you can tell-"

"Tell what?" Arthur was really getting annoyed now. Gwaine shook his head at Arthur sadly, then sighed.

"Merlin is in love with you, you ass."

" _ Merlin _ ? In love with  _ me _ ? 

"Come on, Arthur, surely you must know. It isn't as though he's been shy about it."

"But why would he love me? I'm an ass."

"Well, yes, we do all know that. But he won't be swayed, not even by me, which is-"

"You," Arthur glared, his hand clenched on Gwaine's upper arm, "are  _ not _ good enough for Merlin. Don't you dare even think about-"

"Calm yourself, Princess, he turned me down," Gwained admitted, grudgingly, pulling his arm out of Arthur's grip. Then he narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "Maybe you need to think about why you reacted like that, eh Princess?"

Arthur ignored Gwaine, still contemplating what he had said earlier. "Merlin fancies  _ me _ ?" Arthur said, disbelieving, "I'm not good enough for Merlin."

"I'm not saying he chose wisely, but there you are," Gwaine said, and they both turned to look at Merlin who was talking to the reindeer like they were old friends, "So stop being an ass, ok?"

"Yeah," Arthur muttered, distracted, as Gwaine walked away. "Yeah."

\--

After the reindeer fiasco Merlin was ready to go straight home, but the rest of the gang wanted to stay out. The town was full of things to do and see, businesses with sales on and booths selling hot chocolate and cookies. Apparently Santa was somewhere, too. But Merlin was miserable and he wanted to go home. It wasn't that Merlin wasn't used to Arthur being an ass, he really,  _ really _ was, it was just getting harder for Merlin to accept that he had no chance whatsoever there, and that Arthur would never fancy him back.

Maybe it was time for Merlin to try to move on?

"Oft, he's alright, isn't he?" Gwaine said, nodding towards the keyboardist in the band playing at the end of the road. Merlin agreed that he was very easy on the eyes; tall and thin, like Merlin, with a shock of red hair. As Merlin watched him play the red-haired man caught Merlin's eye and smiled in a friendly and flirtatious way. Merlin, deciding that maybe it was his turn to flirt with someone else, smiled back.

\--

"What's Merlin doing?" Arthur asked, handing Gwane and Leon their cups of hot chocolate. Merlin was standing about twenty feet away, chatting animatedly with a tall, red-haired fellow that Arthur didn't like the look of.

"Oh, his name is Edwin, I think? They seem to be getting along fairly well," Leon sipped his hot chocolate, looking out over the crowded street.

Arthur watched as Merlin, laughing, put his hand on the red head's arm and the red haired man, also laughing, touched Merlin's elbow, and Merlin blushed.

Something inside Arthur began to combust. He wanted to physically attack the red-haired man. He wanted to separate them. He wanted no one else to touch Merlin's elbow like that. He wanted to be the one Merlin was laughing with. How dare that man flirt with Merlin! His Merlin! 

But that was ridiculous. Arthur didn't have any claims on Merlin. Merlin wasn't  _ his _ . But maybe… maybe did Arthur want him to be? 

Arthur thought back over what Gwaine had said earlier. Maybe there  _ was _ a reason Arthur was reacting so strongly to Merlin giving someone else his attention. Arthur had always wanted all of Merlin's attention to himself. Was that because… Because he was….

"Shit."

"Finally," Gwaine said, taking Arthur's hot chocolate off him as Arthur made a beeline for Merlin.

\--

"...truly terrible."

"I don't believe you," Edwin said, taking one of Merlin's hands in his, "with these long fingers you must be brilliant at playing the piano."

Merlin felt himself blushing again, and he smiled shyly, but it didn't feel right. He didn't feel comfortable flirting with Edwin at all. Somewhere deep inside Merlin wondered whether he would ever be happy flirting with someone who wasn't Arthur, even if he couldn't have Arthur. He knew it was not the most emotionally mature decision he had ever made, but there it was. He loved Arthur, and until he found a way to  _ stop _ loving Arthur, he didn't really think he could like anyone else.

That was until Arthur came up and took Merlin by the elbow, effectively dragging him away from Edwin, who looked after them, startled. When Arthur did that Merlin wanted nothing more in the world than to keep flirting with Edwin. To kiss him, maybe. In front of Arthur, maybe. 

"What do you want?" Merlin asked, wrenching his arm out of Arthur's grip and glaring at him.

"Did you know that the eyes of arctic reindeer change colour through the season? From gold to blue," Arthur said, acting as though he hadn't just rudely interrupted Merlin's conversation.

"Arthur, why did you-"

"Reindeer can see UV light, and all of Santa's reindeer must be women because only the female reindeer keep their antlers in December."

"Arthur!" Merlin said, and he actually stamped his foot, "I was talking to someone."

"I don't want you to."

"You what? You're not in charge of me, Arthur, and I left you alone while you talked to the reindeer farmer, if you can call all of that obvious flirting talking."

"You think _ I _ was flirting? What do you call what you were doing with the red head, huh? Talk about obvious-"

"You," Merlin said, stabbing Arthur in the chest with his finger, "can bloody well mind your own business. Why did you even invite me to come along if you were going to ignore me in favour of flirting with Rudolph's stable boy?"

"Because I didn't think you'd come along if it was just me. Usually when it's just us you find an excuse not to come!"

"That's because I-" Merlin broke off, his face flushing. He avoided being alone with Arthur because he couldn't trust himself, but he couldn't tell Arthur that.

Arthur stepped forward slightly until he was firmly within Merlin's personal space, then he reached up and brushed a thumb over Merlin's blushing cheek. Merlin sucked in a ragged breath. What was happening? Was Arthur on a dare? Merlin wanted to look and see if their friends were watching, but he couldn't have taken his eyes off Arthur for any sum of money.

"I don't want you to flirt with him," Arthur said, nodding his head towards where Edwin had last been standing. 

"You can't tell me-" Merlin began, but without any heat this time.

"I don't want you to flirt with him, because I only want you to flirt with me."

Merlin shook his head, annoyed despite himself. "I've  _ been _ flirting with you, Arthur. For  _ years _ ."

"Yes, well, according to Gwaine, I've been thick," Arthur said, cringing as though he knew it was true, but that he expected Merlin to argue the point.

"He was not wrong," Merlin said, but he could feel himself smiling the kind of smile that starts in your stomach and ends with tears in your eyes, "you prat."

"Would you like to go out with me some time, Merlin? Like, on a date?"

"Yes, Arthur, I would. Very much," Merlin said, and he wanted to kiss Arthur, but he couldn't quite bring himself to, yet. They'd been friends for so long, there was going to be some awkward moments of transition while they moved on to something more. "Now, tell me more about reindeer."

Arthu's smile was as bright as if the sun were somehow inside him, and Merlin reached out to take his hand. They turned and walked together through the crowded town centre, not caring that they were leaving Edwin and their other friends behind. Merlin had only really wanted to come with Arthur, after all. The idiot.

"Well, did you know that they're called caribou in North America?"


	19. Day 21 - Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Arthur sees a gift that's perfect for Merlin he suddenly realises that Merlin is perfect for him.

Arthur was staring at the window display of a charity shop in Edinburgh when it happened. He had been walking in the pissing down rain deeply regretting his company's decision to send him to Edinburgh over Christmas when he spotted the candle holders and stopped dead. Each candle holder was a skillfully carved wooden dragon, one crimson and one deep blue, and they twisted around each other vertically, holding the candles in their mouths. Arthur wasn't sure who their intended audience was, but he knew that Merlin would love them.

He could picture the soft, hesitant smile on Merlin's lips, could see the gentle, unsure look in his blue eyes. He could even hear Merlin saying, almost reverently,  _ but Arthur, we said no gifts _ .

Arthur's need to see Merlin that instant, to bring him the candle holders as a gift, to see the smile and hear his voice was overwhelming. He didn't want to be in Edinburgh, especially not at Christmas. He didn't want to not be at home ever again, and not because he felt any particular attachment to their little flat, but because he felt a very particular attachment to the other man who lived there.

Arthur was in love with Merlin.

Although the shop was closing Arthur begged, and they let him in. He bought the candle holders and the assistant wrapped them carefully in red tissue paper. Arthur paid five times the asking price and apologised repeatedly for keeping the woman back.

When he left the charity shop he ran all the way to Waverly Station and bought a ticket for the next train headed to London.

\--

Merlin had been moping around the flat since Arthur left, unable or unwilling to get into the Christmas spirit. He'd put their tree up, but that was all. There were a handful of presents underneath it from friends and family, but without Arthur there to tease him about the jumper from his auntie, Merlin didn't really see the point.

He phoned his mum to wish her a Happy Christmas Eve, then sat down on the sofa and read a book. He didn't even feel like watching crap Christmas telly. Nothing seemed very worth it without Arthur there. Merlin knew why, of course. He had known how he felt about Arthur for a while now. Merlin was in love with Arthur, and without Arthur around their little flat seemed terribly, terribly lonely.

Arthur's work had sent him to Edinburgh to deal with a merger, and Arthur, being the only person in his office without a family, hadn't really been able to argue his way out of it.

Arthur did not know that Merlin was in love with him, although Merlin was considering telling him, soon. Maybe in the new year. Maybe he would call Arthur tomorrow and instead of saying Merry Christmas he could say, "I love you."

Merlin sighed, staring at his book without reading it. He picked up his phone and scrolled through his texts from Arthur. Friendly. Business like. Best friend like. Not a single text that Merlin might interpret as Arthur having secret feelings for him.

He could imagine the look on Arthur's face. He'd run a hand through his golden hair, looking surprised and unworthy. His smile would be hesitant and, ultimately, blinding. His blue eyes would sparkle. And even if he didn't agree with Merlin's feelings, he would be kind about it. He would eventually tease Merlin senseless about it, but in the beginning he would be kind.

Still, Merlin was determined to confess. Maybe in the new year. Maybe tomorrow.

Merlin's fingers hovered over the call icon on his phone. Maybe now? 

\--

Arthur spent the four hour train journey feeling elated and nervous. His clothes were soaking, and his phone had run out of battery during his phone call with the Edinburgh office where he had apologised for his absence, citing a sudden stomach bug. He had nothing else with him apart from his debit card, all of his belongings still in the hotel room in Edinburgh.

He felt giddy, and slightly sick. He was  _ in love _ with Merlin, and he was going to turn up at their flat with these dragon candle holders and he was going to tell Merlin how he felt. 

He just hoped that Merlin felt the same.

\--

It was after eight when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was a neighbour with a box of chocolates, Merlin considered ignoring it. He didn't feel like forced small talk. When they knocked again he sighed and dragged himself to the door.

Arthur was standing there looking tired and bedraggled, his hair a mess and his clothes damp. 

"Arthur? What? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"I was standing outside a charity shop in Edinburgh feeling sorry for myself, and all I wanted in the entire world was to be here," Arthur paused and took a deep breath, then he exhaled again, "With you."

Merlin's heart seemed to drop to the floor. Could Arthur mean what Merlin thought he meant? Merlin backed up as Arthur stepped into the flat, shutting the door behind him. 

"W-with me?"

"I saw these in the window of the shop and I bought them for you," Arthur continued, walking towards Merlin seemingly without noticing it. Soon Merlin would be backed against the wall. "I thought about your face when you opened them, how cross you would be with me because we said we weren't doing gifts this year. And I got on a train."

Arthur's sentence petered out as though he had run out of steam. He looked beautiful and nervous, a little shaky and rumpled, and Merlin's heart danced to see him. 

And he thought, he hoped, that Arthur was trying to tell him exactly what Merlin had been trying to tell  _ him _ , and he wanted to laugh.

"Wait here," he said, holding his hand up and going into the other room to get his phone. 

\-- 

Arthur had just been about to tell Merlin that he was in love with him when Merlin rushed out of the entryway and into the lounge. Arthur's heart was beating fast, and he felt dreamlike and terrified.

Merlin came back, and his cheeks were pink, his hair ruffled and unkempt. He was wearing the pyjamas that Arthur had bought for him last year with the Hufflepuff badger on them, and Arthur had never seen anything more wonderful.

Without speaking, Merlin held out his phone. Arthur took it and looked down. It was his and Merlin's text conversations, and Merlin was part way through writing a text message. It said: 

_ Arthur, I'm sitting in our flat by myself wishing you were here with me for Christmas, and I realised I wish you were here with me, always. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think I might be in love with you. I am sorry if you don't feel the same an- _

"I was going to say that if you were uncomfortable, I could start looking for somewhere else to stay," Merlin said. He was twisting the hem of his shirt nervously, and as Arthur watched he started chewing on his bottom lip.

Arthur stepped gently forward, and with the hand not holding Merlin's gift, he pulled Merlin towards him.

"May I kiss you, Merlin?" Arthur asked, his heart in his throat.

"Please," Merlin said, and their lips met.

\--

Eventually Merlin enquired what the gift was that Arthur had brought him, and Arthur retrieved it from the entryway where it was buried under a pile of their discarded clothes. When Merlin unwrapped the dragon candlesticks he smiled, and that smile alone was worth the trip down to London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep thinking that I'm going to run out of new ways for these two adorable idiots to realise their feelings, but then I think of another new one. *shrug*


	20. Day 22 - Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the longest night of the year drags on, Arthur and Merlin manage to stay quite warm.

Merlin and Arthur were curled together in a cocoon of warmth within the freezing room. As the longest night of winter drew on and on, the temperatures outside the room and outside the castle walls continued to fall, but neither of them felt the slightest chill. Arthur lay with his head on Merlin’s shoulder, his breathing steady and content. Beneath heavy blankets and furs their bare feet and legs were tangled together.

“Show me again,” Arthur asked, his breath hot on Merlin’s skin.

Merlin smiled as his heart swelled with joy. He raised the hand not threaded through Arthur’s hair, whispering the spell. From the hearth rose a dragon made of harmless embers, and it flew across the room at them, glowing brightly orange. Merlin could feel Arthur’s breath held as the dragon diminished and disappeared into the air, leaving nothing but a faint trace of smoke behind. 

Arthur shifted beside him, raising up onto his elbow, and he cradled Merlin’s head, their lips meeting. He was warm against Merlin, their bodies slightly sweaty where their skin touched, the hair at the back of Arthur’s neck damp and curled. Arthur’s hand moved over Merlin’s shoulder and down his chest, burrowing under the blankets that covered them both. Merlin let his head fall back and Arthur moved his lips to the skin there, his teeth grazing gently at Merlin’s collar bone.

Outside the night wore on, and the temperatures continued to drop, but together Merlin and Arthur hardly noticed, and the inside of Arthur’s chambers were impossibly warm.


	21. Day 23 - Ghosts

The corridor was empty except for the two ghosts, who were twined together so closely they might have been one entity. They sighed together, hands groping in the darkness. The corridor was cold, and a draught whispered by from the adjoining room, bright with mirth and merriment. The clock had just struck midnight but the tolling of the clock was as nothing to the ghosts who existed almost outside of reality.

The dark, willowy one was the Ghost of Christmas Past, his stage makeup smudged and his costume half removed. The broad, blonde one was the Ghost of Christmas Present, his fur-trimmed green robe hastily discarded, his crown of holly leaves knocked at an angle by pale, grasping hands.

They kissed feverishly, their bodies tense with desperation. They kissed as though they were the first two men in history to discover the pleasure of lips against lips against skin.

"Arthur? Merlin? Where are you guys?" the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shouted, the vibrant party escaping from the doorway in which he stood.

The curly-haired man who had played Scrooge joined the third ghost, and they spotted Arthur and Merlin in the shadows.

"Finally!" Scrooge said, laughing and shaking his head. He grabbed the third ghost and pushed him back to the crowded room, "leave them be, Percy. I really don't think they'll mind missing the party."

Silence descended onto the corridor once more, and in the darkness the two ghosts continued as before, neither of them acknowledging the interruption. 


	22. Day 24 - Holiday Card

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur's pals give him a gag gift Christmas card and the repercussions aren't exactly what any of them had in mind.

"Why does this card say Merlin on the envelope?"

"It's your gag gift," Gwaine laughed, dramatically raising his eyebrows at Arthur. "Don't ask questions!" 

Arthur opened the Christmas card with trepidation, knowing that nothing Gwaine gave him as a gag gift could be a good thing. The card showed a badly photoshopped image of a topless Arthur wearing a santa hat.

"If you jingle my bells," Arthur read, opening the card and turning slightly red, "I can guarantee a white Christmas."

The room exploded with laughter which Arthur accepted with grace. All of the rugby lads knew exactly how Arthur felt about his flatmate of many years, Merlin. He hadn't intended them to know - he hadn't intended  _ anyone _ to EVER know - but he'd been knocked out briefly during a match last season and had apparently come to murmuring Merlin's name in a fashion that was too suggestive for the lads to ignore. Arthur had since suffered a friendly campaign of teasing mostly intended to give Arthur the courage to actually ask Merlin out on a date.

"Yes, yes, very funny, Gwaine. Hilarious. Now, open your gift," Arthur said, slipping the raunchy card back into the envelope and dropping it with the rest of his things.

Far too much to drink and a taxi ride home later, Arthur stumbled into the flat he shared with Merlin as quietly as possible. It was the very early hours of Christmas Eve, and Merlin was probably sleeping. Arthur made it to the kitchen to find a tall glass of water next to a note that said  _ Preventative care. See you tomorrow. Mx _

Arthur deposited his things on the counter, drank the full glass of water and retired to his bed.

In the morning he woke to the smell of bacon frying and dragged himself out of bed. He and Merlin both enjoyed a Post Night Out Fry Up, and if one of them was in while the other was out, they generally made the breakfast. Arthur had never been happier with that arrangement than he was that particular Christmas Eve.

He rushed his shower and dressed as fast as possible, arriving in the kitchen just as Merlin set down a full breakfast and a cup of criminally strong coffee.

"You literally are the best flatmate in the entire world," Arthur said, smiling around a mouthful of bacon.

"Yes, well, you managed to not wake me up last night and that in itself means you deserve breakfast. Though it is nearly noon, so this might technically count as lunch."

"It's delicious, whatever it is called."

"Oh, I tidied away your things from last night, there's a pile of your unopened rugby gifts under the tree."

"Cheers, Merlin. Are there any more sausages?"

\--

Christmas came and Arthur and Merlin prepared to welcome their closest circle of friends: Arthur's sister Morgana and Merlin's mate Will who was practically a brother. They usually popped round at eleven, then Merlin left with Will for Christmas tea at Merlin's mum's, and Arthur and Morgana trudged off home to see their dad.

They gathered around the tree with champagne (or lemonade for the designated drivers), and opened their gifts for each other.

The slight snag in the plans for the day surfaced when Merlin opened a card addressed to him in an unfamiliar hand.

"What?" Merlin asked, and Arthur looked up to see that his face was burning bright red. Will, who had been standing beside Merlin, whisked the card out of his hand and read it, then he, too, turned bright red.

Morgana tried to grab the card, but both Will and Merlin tried to prevent it, and Arthur had no idea what was happening at all until he caught a glimpse of the card.

_ Shitshitshitshitshit _ .

"What's all this, Merlin?" Will demanded, as though Merlin was keeping a secret from him and he was hurt and disappointed. "How long has this been going on?"

"It isn't," Merlin said, still trying to force the card into the envelope. Arthur wanted to snatch it from him and rip it into a thousand pieces and he watched with horror as his sister deftly plucked the card from Merlin's fumbling hands.

"I KNEW IT!" Morgana shouted, gleeful, "I knew you two must be shagging. This whole flatmates ruse was fooling no one! With the way you look at each other, you should have known we'd have figured it out."

"I thought we had no secrets," Will was saying, hurt, and Merlin was looking anywhere in the world except at Arthur and Arthur did not know what to say.

Morgana was ecstatic about the supposed secret relationship, and Will was angry at not being told. Arthur was terrified that Merlin might never speak to him again and Merlin looked like he wanted to vanish on the spot. It was actually like every circle of hell combined into one afternoon, and before Arthur could explain anything Will was dragging Merlin away because if they didn't leave they would be late for dinner and Arthur didn't even get a chance to apologise.

"Shit," Arthur said as the door closed.

"Please refrain from telling our father today, Arthur, I would like all of us to survive dinner," Morgana said as she put Arthur's coat on for him and led him from the flat.

Dinner was hell, even though Arthur somehow managed to get through the night without admitting his entirely fictitious relationship with Merlin. Arthur left before dessert was finished, but Merlin was not home when he got there. Arthur waited, feeling sick, until he heard the keys in the door.

Arthur stood, ready to explain everything, but he found that words had ceased to have meaning. Merlin walked into the lounge looking tired.

"I've just spent the last few hours consoling my mother because she was so excited when Will told her that you and I are dating that she actually cried when I explained that it was not, in fact, true."

"I'm so sorry," Arthur started, running his hands anxiously through his hair, "the card was a gag gift from the boys at rugby. It was never meant to be seen by anyone else."

"A gag gift?" Merlin said, incredulous, "What's the joke?"

Arthur could do nothing but tell the truth, "I was knocked out last year and apparently I said your name...ehm...rather a lot. While I was unconscious."

"My name?"

Arthur nodded.

"They just assumed that if I moaned your name while unconscious I must have unresolved feelings for you. Hence the card. It was meant to be a joke."

"My mother was in tears, Arthur."

"I am sorry. You were never meant to see it," Arthur said again, hoping that he sounded sincere.

"And the worst part of it is that no matter who I bring home in the future they will never be good enough because they could never be  _ you _ ."

"Me? What do you mean, me?"

"For a few glorious moments my mother believed I was dating you. Now all of my future boyfriends will pale in comparison!"

"How so?"

"Please. You're smart, kind, funny, and good looking," Merlin started, and Arthur smiled, "oh, stop, you know you're good looking."

"Yes, I know I'm good looking, I just didn't know that  _ you _ thought I was-"

"So no matter who I wind up with my mother is always going to compare them with you."

"Now come on! You're smarter and funnier than I am. You're certainly kinder than I. And you're equally good looking. You'll find someone better than me-"

"Ha! You're it for her, I'm afraid. The only bloke in the whole world who is good enough for her precious child, and we've never even dated."

Merlin shook his head in a disappointed manner as though Arthur had committed a heinous crime. Arthur tried to think of a way out, something that would convince Merlin's mother that he was far from perfect 

"I could always break your heart, that would sully her good opinion of me," Arthur suggested, thinking hard.

"But she knows now that we've never been involved, so that won't work."

"What if we fake dated for real?"

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah. Yeah! We tell her the whole Christmas card disaster made us realise we actually  _ do _ have feelings for each other, then a few weeks from now I can fake dump you and fake break your heart. Then your mum can really hate me which will halt any future comparisons."

"That's the stupidest plan you've ever had. Why would you fake dump me? Did you meet someone else?"

"No! Yes?"

"I can't believe you'd do that to me!" Merlin said, and though his outrage was mocking, Arthur found himself wanting to apologise.

"I wouldn't! I mean, I wouldn't ever, not in real- I mean."

Merlin crossed his arms and looked quizzical, and Arthur kept talking and regretted it immediately. 

"I mean if I were lucky enough to be dating you for real I wouldn't look twice at anyone else."

There was silence between them as Arthur tried to retrace his thoughts and figure out exactly what he'd just said. 

"Lucky? To be dating me?"

Arthur's mouth just went ahead and kept talking without his consent. "Don't act surprised, of course I'd be lucky to be dating you, Merlin, you're incredible."

"What is happening?" Merlin exclaimed, laughing.

Arthur looked at Merlin whose face was slightly pink, and his features were set in a look of complete incredulity.

Arthur, for his part, was simply mortified. "I genuinely have no idea."

A few moments passed while they regarded each other, Merlin beginning to smile and Arthur following suit. They seemed to be drawing nearer to each other as if by a magnetic force until they were mere inches apart.

"We're going to end up dating for real now, aren't we?" Merlin asked, his smile crooked.

"Maybe… maybe it wouldn't be the worst idea?" Arthur said, shrugging his shoulders. Merlin reached up tentatively and brushed his face gently, Arthur turning into the touch.

"You'd better not break my heart," Merlin said, leaning in. 

"I wouldn't dream of it," Arthur murmured as they kissed. 

Weeks later they told their families that they really were dating. Yes for real in real life. Though when it came down to it neither of them could explain exactly how that had happened. 

Arthur kept his promise not to break Merlin's heart, and Merlin kept the Christmas card.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one gave me a hard time, but I hope you enjoyed the absolute ridiculousness that I eventually came up with.


	23. Day 25 - Love

It was there in the way Merlin looked at Arthur, at the longing and the warmth in his eyes. It was there in every touch and gesture. It was there in the meticulous way that Merlin checked and polished Arthur's armour. It was there in the careful words and in the spaces between them that required no words at all. 

It was there in the way that Arthur teased Merlin constantly. It was there in the way that Arthur couldn't bear to be parted from Merlin, even on dangerous missions. It was there in every long day when Arthur thought of just one more thing to keep Merlin there with him, longer. It was there in the way that Arthur trusted Merlin implicitly. It was there in every lingering glance and every touch that lasted just that little bit too long.

It was there in the sacrifices they made for each other. It was there in Arthur's wholehearted acceptance of Merlin's magic against all of his deeply ingrained beliefs. It was there in the dark of Arthur's chambers when they finally found the courage to confess. It was there when Arthur asked and Merlin answered. It was there on the day they stood before their kingdom and agreed upon their vows.

And it was there between them every day in every conversation and every act, in every glance and every whisper. In everything they did for one another over the very many years of their lives together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late. 🙃


	24. Day 26 - Cider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin takes a disguised Arthur to a village tavern where they taste spiced cider for the first time.

The yule feast was over, and Arthur was exhausted. Merlin could tell by the way Arthur's shoulders drooped constantly that his prince needed a break. So Merlin arranged one.

The day broke crisp, and though the air was cold, the sky was clear and the sun bright. The saddled and loaded horses were in the courtyard, and Merlin had woken Arthur early. Now, fed and watered, they rode alone into the countryside.

When they stopped to give the horses a break, Merlin unloaded one of his bags. Inside was a change of clothes for Arthur.

"What's this?" Arthur said, stepping silently up behind Merlin and eyeing the unfamiliar peasants' clothes.

"A disguise, my lord," Merlin said, turning a smile on Arthur, who smiled in return. Without saying another word Arthur let himself be divested of the trappings of his position, and Merlin busied himself remaking his prince into a commoner.

"A change of clothes will not be enough to mask me if we are stopping only a short day's travel from Camelot," Arthur said, truthfully. Merlin smiled, his heart full with the trust that Arthur placed in him.

"I shall disguise you better then," Merlin replied, stretching his hands out towards Arthur and muttering quietly. Arthur's golden hair dulled, his blue eyes faded to brown, and a thick beard grew to mask his strong jaw. 

Arthur reached up and scratched his chin thoughtfully. Even disguised as such, Arthur was as handsome as ever. Merlin focused, muttering, until his own short hair grew longer, waving behind his ears.

"Let us continue on," Arthur said, though they had not eaten and the horses were barely rested. Merlin knew he was eager to arrive at their destination. 

As night fell they came upon a village at a crossroads. There was an inn and a crowded tavern filled with people still celebrating the passing of the longest winter night. Merlin saw the horses stabled while Arthur secured their room. When Merlin entered the tavern he saw Arthur already seated at a table with two large earthenware cups.

Merlin sat and took the drink Arthur handed him, surprised to find that it was warm. It did not smell like spiced wine, and Merlin turned a confused look on Arthur.

"Hot spiced cider," Arthur explained, raising his to knock against Merlin's in cheers. Merlin took a drink, the flavour of spiced apples warming him immediately. "The barmaid warned it is strong," Arthur said, watching Merlin take a second longer drink. 

As they made their way through two full cups of cider, they drew almost unconsciously closer together. Leaning towards each other, first their knees, then calves and thighs touching. Then shoulders and arms, until there was barely a breath between them. The spiced cider warmed them, their cheeks flushed and their breath hot against each other. They laughed and talked, whispering gossip they wouldn't have dared to discuss inside Camelot.

At an unspoken agreement they rose from their table and walked to the inn, up the stairs to their room, still taking quietly together. Arthur had taken a note of who had produced the cider, hoping, no doubt, to procure some for the castle.

When the door to their room shut Arthur heaved his customary sigh of relief. Merlin knew Arthur was never as comfortable as when he was alone, and Merlin did not count as company. Merlin locked the door securely then busied himself with making Arthur's bed as comfortable as possible. He was humming to himself, one of the yule songs from Ealdor, when he felt Arthur step behind him. 

Turning, a smile on his face, expecting Arthur to utter a snide remark about his bed making skills, Merlin did not expect to feel Arthur's fingers on his face. 

They were gentle, unsure. Arthur was not smiling, and Merlin's smile fell as well. 

"Can you turn us back to us?" Arthur asked.

"We should wait until we leave the-"

"Please, Merlin."

Merlin obliged, whispering the words and watching Arthur's beard vanish, his eyes return to their beautiful blue. Arthur's fingers were still held against Merlin's cheek and, almost as soon as the spell ceased, Arthur leaned forward and claimed Merlin's mouth with his own. 

Arthur's mouth tasted of late fall apples and of cinnamon and cloves. Merlin parted his lips and Arthur's tongue touched gently as though Arthur was seeking permission. Merlin surged against Arthur, bringing their bodies together, his mouth angled slightly as he let out a years-held moan of longing. Arthur moaned in return, his hands claws at Merlin's back trying to pull him closer, closer.

It had always felt like this for Merlin, every moment since he'd met Arthur he'd been this desperate, this unhinged. He was dizzy with the joy of finally giving voice to his desires. Delirious with the ecstasy of seeing Arthur equally undone. 

They undressed slowly and made love and stayed up all night. The next day they requested food in their room, and that the innkeeper please supply spiced cider from the tavern across the road. The innkeeper agreed, and they paid him handsomely.

They stayed a second night. 

On the evening of the third day they rode into Camelot, not bothering to pretend they had been hunting. Merlin helped Arthur to unpack, and Arthur asked Merlin to stay. 

The following week Merlin served Arthur at dinner with Morgana and the King, and the smell of the hot spiced cider brought a flush to Arthur's cheeks so suddenly that his father feared he must be ill. Arthur agreed and retired early, asking to have supper in his rooms instead. 

Merlin hastily brought the food and drink to Arthur's room where Arthur was waiting for him, unclothed.

It was nearly midnight when they paused to eat, but neither of them minded much and besides, the cider was equally good when cold.


	25. Day 27 - Champagne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Merlin survives the holidays and Arthur's family, they celebrate with champagne.
> 
> TW: referenced parental homophobia

Arthur was nervous, which was ridiculous, because if there was one thing Arthur was good at in this life it was choosing wine. And champagne was just wine with bubbles, so why was he struggling so much?

"Tell me, Mr Pendragon, is this champagne for a special occasion?" The sommelier asked.

"Isn't  _ all _ champagne for a special occasion?"

The sommelier laughed as though Arthur had made a very funny joke, but did not answer.

"Tell me more about this one…"

An hour and more money than he wanted to admit later, Arthur was on his way home with the bottle of champagne. That was the last piece of the puzzle. Now all he needed to do was to wait for Merlin to get home.

Morgana had taken Merlin out shopping the post-Christmas sales first thing, and he knew that Merlin's shopping batteries would be running out soon, and Arthur would be home with dinner ready to recharge him.

His favourite meal, actually. Because it was just that kind of day.

So Arthur got home, showered and dressed quickly, and started cooking. The champagne was in the fridge, and every time Arthur thought about it he felt a twinge of nerves.

About fifteen minutes before dinner was ready, and right on Arthur's imagined schedule, Merlin got home looking haggard and harassed. He came through to the kitchen and Arthur handed him a glass of wine as he kissed Arthur's cheek in greeting.

"You are the best boyfriend in the world," Merlin said, taking a drink of his wine, "and dinner smells amazing. Have I time for a shower? I need to wash off all of the rampant consumerism."

"You do, and I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"My sister. There is no excuse for her."

Merlin kissed Arthur, his hand at Arthur's chin, "It's worth it if I get to have you."

Merlin sauntered off to take a shower. Arthur momentarily felt like scrapping dinner, and his plans for the evening, and joining Merlin in the shower. However, everything was almost ready, so he sadly watched Merlin leave.

Then he finished dinner and set the table, sipping his wine and waiting for Merlin. He put some music on then lit some candles but decided that was going overboard so he blew them out. Then he realised you could smell the extinguished candles and he lit them again, which was when Merlin appeared, dressed in jeans and a sweater, but barefoot and towelling his hair dry. Arthur walked to him and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close and kissing him deeply.

Merlin pulled back, breathless and laughing. "Enough of that, you promised me dinner."

They ate and talked, their feet touching beneath the table. The music played and Arthur listened to Merlin's stories of his day with Morgana.

"And then she vaulted onto the counter and shouted at everyone in the queue that they were being arseholes and to just be patient for crying out loud. I thought we were going to get chucked out, but when it was our turn to pay the guy gave us his staff discount!"

"Of course he did!" Arthur said, wiping tears of laughter out of his eyes.

"Anyway, I know it was only my first experience shopping the post-Christmas sales with Morgana, but next year I am  _ busy _ ."

"I warned you about her in June when we started dating, but I still feel like I should apologise."

"Like I said earlier," Merlin smiled, touching the back of Arthur's hand lightly, "it's worth it."

Arthur cleared his throat, deciding it was time. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something..."

"Okay," Merlin said, laughing slightly, "what is it?"

"Well, now that you've experienced one Christmas with me and my crazy family," Arthur asked, finding now that he was not nervous in the slightest, "I wondered whether you'd like to spend the rest of them with me, as well?"

Arthur produced the ring he'd bought and held it in his hand, palm up. Merlin's smile was slow, but blinding and endearingly crooked.

"Of course I would, Arthur, of course," Merlin took the ring and slid it on. Then they stood from the table and embraced, Arthur kissing Merlin's head, his face, his neck, anywhere he could, and Merlin laughing joyfully.

"You don't think I'm rushing us?" Arthur asked.

"I would have said yes in July," Merlin said, completely serious. Arthur's heart felt like it might explode and he kissed Merlin, open and desperate.

"Have you thought about what you're going to tell your father?"

"Yes, I have. I'm going to tell him that we're in love and we're getting married, and when he's prepared to congratulate us there's champagne in the fridge."

"You've already bought the champagne, haven't you?" Merlin asked, nodding. Arthur felt his cheeks redden.

"Took me longer to pick that than it did to pick your ring."

"You know I don't care, right? I don't care if he wants to live in denial his whole life. He can think we're flatmates forever, as far as I'm concerned."

"I know, but I'm going to tell him anyway," Arthur said. Merlin touched his face gently, bringing his attention back. Merlin's face was in shadow, the only light coming in the window from the street, his eyes dark, his cheekbones in stark relief, his red lips in a soft smile. Arthur mirrored Merlin's touch, his fingers gentle on Merlin's skin, and they leaned towards each other, Merlin's arms wrapping him tightly as they kissed. 

They would be married soon and if the bottle of champagne never got opened, Arthur didn't give a single damn. As long as he had Merlin, he had more than everything he needed. 

_ (Spoiler Alert: Uther decided to accept that his son was marrying another man, and the three of them drank the champagne together one evening while ironing out the guest list.) _


	26. Day 28 - Snowball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there's a surprise snowfall over the holidays, Arthur stages a snowball fight.

"It snowed!"

"Yes, I can see that, Arthur," Merlin said into his phone. Why was Arthur calling him at the crack of dawn?

"We're going to the river."

Merlin sat up, yawning. His mother's house was freezing, and he pulled on a jumper which had been on the floor at the side of the bed. 

"We?"

"Percy, Gwaine, Lance, Leon, Elyan, Morgana, and Gwen."

"Have you seriously called all of them?"

"It snowed!"

Merlin yawned again, but stood up and pulled trousers on. Even half asleep at the crack of dawn he couldn't resist Arthur. It had always been that way when they'd been growing up, and it was the same now they were in their twenties. The best days of Merlin's life had begun as Arthur's hair brained schemes. 

"I'm on my way," Merlin said, ending the call as he stepped quietly through the house.

The walk to the park by the river was quick, and Merlin could have made it blindfolded. It had snowed heavily in the night and the landscape was covered in a blanket of glittering white. The snow still danced down in half-hearted flurries, and Merlin smiled as he walked alone, his footsteps the only sound in the still air.

As he got closer to the park he started listening for sounds of the others. He also knew better than to join the fight unarmed, so he paused and gathered an armful of snowballs before walking through the kissing gate at the edge of the park.

He could neither see nor hear any of the others. Though he was perhaps the worst fighter among them, and Arthur was clearly the best, it was usually a snow melee, and there were never really any winners or losers.

They were on him seemingly all at once when he turned the corner by the old bandstand, and snowballs flew from every direction. What followed was perhaps half an hour of Merlin running, jumping, dodging, diving, and hurling snowballs as often as he was hit. Their shouts rang out clear in the morning air, and Merlin's lungs were sore with laughing.

Arthur was a thing of beauty, the sunlight gleaming off his golden hair as he threw himself into the fight, and Merlin's eyes were constantly drawn to him.

Merlin crouched under the footbridge. He knew Gwaine and Percy were in the pine grove, and Lance was lurking by the tourist information board. Morgana and Gwen were chatting in the gazebo, having taken themselves out of the game. Elyan had gone off to get them all coffee, but Merlin was on high alert and did not know where Leon and Arthur were. He was buzzing with nerves, a snowball in each hand. This was a good hiding place in summer, but the leave-less bushes now provided little cover. 

When he first saw Arthur running towards him, crouched low to the ground, Merlin thought he was under attack, but then he realised that Arthur had no ammunition and was coming to share Merlin's hiding place. Merlin was about to move and make room for Arthur when he realised that Arthur was not slowing down.

Arthur caught him with a shoulder and they both sprawled backwards, Arthur lying atop Merlin, both of them breathless. Arthur laughed and the sound went through Merlin, making his nerves buzz even more. Arthur's laugh was his favourite sound in the world.

Then Arthur stopped laughing and he reached up and removed Merlin's winter hat, smiling as Merlin's too-long hair stood every which way.

Merlin held his breath, unsure of what was happening.

"I've really missed you," Arthur breathed, making no move to climb off Merlin, "all through Uni I kept waiting to meet someone,  _ anyone _ , that I liked as much as I like you, but I never did."

"We're best friends, Arthur, the  _ best _ part means you like me the most," Merlin said, his heart swelling with pride. Merlin had always felt lucky to know Arthur, let alone be his best friend.

"Yeah…" Arthur said, but it didn't seem to be what he really wanted to say. " What about you? Have you..?"

"Met anyone I'd rather be best friends with? No."

"There was that Will guy, your boyfriend," Arthur said, his voice low and strange.

"EX-boyfriend, and no, I didn't like him more than I like you." 

"That's…" Arthur paused, looking strangely at Merlin again, and then he ran his hands through Merlin's hair.

It wasn't a friend move. It wasn't a  _ best _ friend move. It was something  _ more. _ Merlin's heart felt too tight for his chest. 

"That's very…" Arthur started, his eyes on Merlin's mouth. 

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

"Yes."

The kiss was fiery and far from gentle, Merlin's arms flung around Arthur as though Arthur might float away, Arthur's hands pulling Merlin's hair. It may have lasted a minute or a lifetime, but when Arthur pulled away it was clear that everything between them had changed.

"Come back to mine, after? Morgana and Gwen are going shopping. We'll have the house to ourselves."

For as long as Merlin lived he would never forget the way Arthur blushed when he said that. And as long as they lived Arthur would never let Merlin forget what he did next.

"Actually," Merlin said, lifting his hips so they pressed against Arthur, who moaned helplessly as he exhaled, "I promised my mum I'd help her take the decorations down."

"Oh," Arthur said, crestfallen, "Ok, I guess-"

"I'm joking, Arthur. Of course I want to go back to yours, you clotpole." Merlin said, dragging Arthur down for another kiss.

Arthur pulled back again, smiling all over his face. Then he grabbed one of Merlin's snowballs and demolished it against the top of Merlin's head, laughing, before vaulting off Merlin and running away. Merlin, cursing, tried to brush the snow out of his hair as he stood, pulling his hat back on, grabbing the last of his snowballs and chasing after Arthur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted them ALL to have some fun together. <3


	27. Days 29, 30, & 31 - Glitter, Resolutions, and Auld Lang Syne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin stay in for New Year's Eve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU to all of you for sticking with me through all 31 prompts!! I extremely do not deserve any of you and I love you all dearly.
> 
> Here's to a Merthur-full New Year. <3

Arthur sat with Merlin's head in his lap, watching the New Year's Eve countdown on the telly. His hands combed through Merlin's hair and Merlin slept peacefully. 

It was the first time since he'd turned eighteen that Arthur wasn't out drinking on Hogmanay, but he wasn't sorry. There was nowhere he'd rather be than here, with Merlin. 

They had swapped the glitter of parties for the comfort of home, and it was a wonderful change.

Merlin stirred and Arthur could tell the exact moment he woke up. 

"Did I miss it?"

"No, I promised I'd wake you," Arthur said as Merlin sat up and stretched, yawning. He resettled against Arthur's side, taking Arthur's hand in his. They were quiet for a time, Arthur glancing at his husband periodically, enjoying the glow of the television screen against his pale face.

"Oh, we never talked about resolutions. Have you any?"

" _ Should _ I have any?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowing.

"I don't want you to change," Merlin said. Arthur turned towards Merlin, their eyes meeting. Arthur rose and pivoted so that he was straddling Merlin, and he put his hands on Merlin's face, cradling it gently. 

"I want you to always be you," Arthur said, kissing his husband gently. Merlin kissed him back, his hands at Arthur's hips, thumbs on bare skin beneath his clothes. They kissed, oblivious to the time, so that the only way they knew the year had ended was that the television started playing Auld Lang Syne, and even then they paid it little attention.

The years would come as they always did, and Merlin and Arthur would face them all.

Together.

**Fin.**

**Author's Note:**

> as usual I'd love to know what you thought. xx


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